Lesson 13
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we pray for Your living bread, living manna, living eater, and living Word of eternal life to nourish, strengthen, sustain, and nurture our souls, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Introduction to Titus
Author, date, recipient, setting:
Apostle Paul wrote the epistle of Titus from an unknown location to a person named Titus in Crete, between 63 and 65 AD, after his release from his first Roman imprisonment but before his rearrest to serve his second Roman imprisonment in 66 AD. Paul wrote a personal pastoral letter to Titus, his protege and spiritual godson in the faith, to help him lead the churches in the Crete.
Crete:
Crete, modern-day Candia, is one of the largest islands in the Mediterranean. Crete was prosperous with a large thriving population, but Cretans were notorious for immorality. A Crete poet Epimenides said, “all Cretans are liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons” Titus 1:12.
Themes:
The main themes are the relationship between faith and practice, belief and behavior, truth and heresy, instructions for Christian living, and the criteria for selecting church leaders.
Purpose:
After release from his first Roman imprisonment, Paul visited Crete. He left Titus in Crete to oversee the churches that he had planted. He advised Titus to reject the heretic, gnostic, Judaizers, Titus 1:10, 14. This “circumcision party” had insisted that Gentile Christians believe in Jewish myths, keep the Mosaic law, and undergo circumcision. Paul instructed Titus on Christian living, to select elders and bishops, and to reject heresy,
Outline
Titus 1: 1-16, Titus 1: 1-16, Salutation, criteria for selecting elders and bishops, rejecting false teachers
Titus 2: 1-16, Christian relationships
Titus 3: 1-15, submit to authorities, avoid foolish disputes, farewell
Application:
The epistle of Titus transcends time. Paul’s instructions, encouragements, and teachings to Titus also apply to us. Heretic doctrines in first-century Israel continued into our days. We must be able to discern and reject heresy and deviant teachings that are so rampant today.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, teach us Your Words and Your doctrines. May we walk away from here refreshed, renewed, and recharged. We acknowledge that Your Word is Holy and True and is powerful to save lives. May we remain in You, and may Your Word remain in us, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
