Prelesson: The Overview of Titus
Almost out of a mist the book of Titus presents itself. The man Titus is not mentioned in the book of Acts yet the great apostle Paul refers to him as "my true son in our common faith". We read that Paul left Titus in Crete with the purpose of "straightening out what was left unfinished" Yet with the exception of a temporary stop on Crete while the Apostle was in chains, we do not really know when Paul would have been to Crete to evangelize that island. Mysteries. The little book is one of the letters known as "the pastoral epistles" so some may wonder if it is even for the everyday Christian. We hope that by the time you have finished the overview of the book of Titus you will agree with us that the book has much to offer those who will give their time and heart to serious study of this book.

The People of The Epistle of Titus. Like all epistles, the book of Titus was written by a person- the man Paul; it was written to a person- the man Titus; and it talks about people. Whenever you do an overview of an epistle it is important to look at the relationships of the people in the epistle.

This week you looked at the individuals and then briefly evaluated their relationships. The first character you considered was the author of the epistle, Paul. By looking at what he says about himself in the letter you would have learned that
he is a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ (1:1).
The message he preached was entrusted to him by the command of God our Savior (1:3).
Paul said he considered Titus his "true son in their common faith (1:4)
He reminded Titus that he left him in Crete with the purpose of straightening out what was left unfinished (though we are not told what that would be), and to appoint elders in every town as Paul directed him (1:5).
At the end of the book we are able to glean a bit more information about Paul. He tells Titus that there are teachings that he wants Titus to stress (3:8),
he lets Titus know that he will be sending Artemas or Tychicus to him (3:12),
he asks Titus to do his best to come to Paul at Nicopolis where he has decided to spend the winter (3:12).
Finally he mentions that there are people with him who send Titus greetings and that Titus should greet "those who love us in the faith". (3:15)

Next you should have listed what you learned about the recipient of the letter Titus. Besides the information you learned about Titus while looking at the author such as his being the true son in the faith you would have listed some of the following.
He must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine (2:1)
He is to set an example by doing what is good. In teaching show integrity, seriousness (2:7) soundness of speech that cannot be condemned. (2:8)
There will be people who oppose him (2:8)
He is told what to teach and to not let anyone despise him (2:15)
There are teachings Titus is to stress so that those who trust God will be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. (3:8)
He is told how to respond to divisive persons (3:10)
He is told to come to Paul when the person Paul sends comes to Crete(3:12)
He is to help the lawyer and Apolis, he himself is to provide them with all they need (3:13)

The other people mentioned in the letter represent people types that you will find in nearly every town and in most churches. Paul listed the requirements for elders and/or overseers- the co-shepherds of the flock. He spoke of the importance of teaching the different groups of people with in the church. He spoke of those who would cause headaches and trouble for Titus and gave him information on how to recognize them and how to handle interaction with them. Among them were the rebellious, the corrupted, those who do not believe, the divisive and those who would oppose Titus.

Once you have your lists of people then you need to look it over to discover some specific facts that will guide you in understanding the theme and purpose of the letter.

When looking at the facts you gathered about the author you need to find the information that tells you what authority he has both in the Kingdom of Heaven and in the life of the recipient. In this case you learn that Paul is a Servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ with a view to the faith of Gods elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness (1:1).
You would also note that the preaching was entrusted to Paul (at His appointed season) by the command of God our Savior (1:3).

The basic information you will want from your list of Titus, the recipient of the letter, is what his relationship is to Paul. In this case, the relationship is of a father and son (1;4). Not that Titus is Pauls child by blood or birth, it is a comparison that describes the closeness that they share. As you will find out in latter lessons, Titus was a gentile, a Greek, while Paul was a Jew. Paul has further entrusted the ministry at Crete to Titus. He reminds him of the need and importance to appoint elders in every town. There were matters that Paul left unfinished which he expected Titus to straighten out (1:5). To Paul, Titus was not only a man for whom he had fatherly affection toward, Titus was also a man who could be trusted to carry out the responsibility of appointing leaders of high caliber and completing the details that Paul had not been able to complete before he had to leave the island.

The final group or groups of people that you looked at came under the general heading of Others. Specifically you were asked to look at the so called bad people. If you used the NIV text then you found those who were described as...
Rebellious (1:10)
These were said to be mere talkers, deceivers; "especially those of the circumcision"
You saw that Paul said that they must be silenced because they were ruining whole households by teaching what they should not for dishonest gain.
Titus was instructed to Rebuke them sharply and given the purpose for being so harsh with them.
Those who are corrupted and do not believe, who say they know God with their words, but their actions deny God.
Those who oppose you are mentioned.
Titus is told how to handle a divisive person.

Each of the bad people tells you something about what Titus is facing in the church on the Island of Crete. The exhortation on how and what to teach the different groups of people within the church is telling you something about the theme of Titus. The importance of finding men of integrity to oversee the church also tells you something about the theme of this epistle. You may have found the digging up of the details about the people exciting or maybe tedious, but all of it is communicating something to you. The bottom line, the main subject is hidden here like a treasure to be discovered.

The Wolf Moon

The use of Key Repeated Words and Phrases
Once you have discovered the relationship of the people of the epistle, and what they communicate to you abut the theme to this book then it is time to look at the words and phrases the author repeats through the text that are "key" to open or unlock our understanding of the message of the Letter to Titus.


Grace Strongs #5485 charis (khar'-ece); graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude):

Grace can be a difficult word to nail down but I think it comes down to a favorable attitude toward someone or something, rather like a husband would show to his bride over all other women. It is described as favor or good will. It is the subject who is actually the recipient of the good will.

With this in mind, look at the list made from your observation of the use of the word grace in Titus. What do you learn?

1:4 The source of this grace, this favor or good will, is God the Father and Jesus Christ
2:11 Salvation has come to all men because of grace
2:12 the word it stands for grace. Here we learn that grace, the favor and good will of God and Jesus, teaches us some things. It teaches us to say NO to ungodliness and worldly passions. It also teaches us to live self-controlled lives. We learn to be upright and godly while waiting for the blessed hope.
3:7 In speaking of the benefits belonging to those who have experienced salvation; we learn that it is grace that has justified us
3:15 Paul closes his letter to Titus by requesting that grace be with you all

In the overview you will not take the time to ask what does it mean to be justified or what does it mean to be self-controlled? These are questions we will look at as we go through the details of the book of Titus. Right now I want you to just get a basic feel for the direction Paul is going with his message to Titus. Pleas be patient. We will get to the details. For now it is enough to look at our list for grace and to learn that the favor and good will of God and Jesus teach us how to live our life in a way pleasing to Him, it causes to stand in favor (justified) with God from a legal stand point. So far Grace seems to be a benefit given to all men for salvation, and to all who choose to embrace that salvation with their lives, it teaches us how to live while giving us justification from our former life of sin. It is something that Paul requests be with us all.


The idea of works and actions. Very often in Christian conversation we seem to take a stand that is opposed to works because of our fear that we might communicate an ability to earn a place or passage into the Kingdom of heaven. I will tell you up front that I personally reject the idea that any action, service or work will affect our status as a citizen of heaven or release us from the eternal punishment of hell. Having said this, I will now leave the discussion of works and salvation for another time. The topic is touched upon in chapter three. For now my focus is simply to observe what the text has to say about the concept of works, or what we do.
Note: bold words are the words that I thought communicated the idea of works when work or works were not specifically mentioned.

1:7 overseers are entrusted with Gods work
1:15-16 regarding the corrupted and unbelieving (rebellious) their actionsdeny the God they claim to know; --they are unfit for doing anything good
2:7 set an example by doing what is good
2:14 the redeemed are to be eager to do what is good
3:1 be ready (Titus) to do what is good
3:5 (salvation) not because of righteous things we have done
3:8 be careful to devote themselves to doing good (those who trust God)
3:14 (our people) learn to devote themselves to doing good

The work that we do says so much to the watching world.

Sound faith and doctrine (or teachings) are the third key to Titus. This list would include

1:3 Paul serves God and is an apostle of Jesus for the faith of Gods elect and for knowledge of truth that leads to godliness resting on the hope of eternal life.
1:4 God brought His word to light through the preaching entrusted to Paul
1:9 hold to the trustworthy message
1:13 rebuke the rebellious that they be sound in faith
2:1 teach sound doctrine
2:2 teach older men to be sound in faith
2:3 teach older women to teach what is good then they can train younger women (purpose- that none malign the word of God
2:7 in your teaching show soundness of speech that cannot be condemned
2:9 teach slaves so that they make the teaching about Gods word attractive
2:12 grace teaches us
2:15 these are the things you should teach (no to ungodliness and worldly passions; live self-controlled upright, godly lives)
3:15 greet those who love us in the faith

I bet that this was a tougher list to work through. Some of the phrases and words may not seem to have much to do with faith and doctrine. In fact many of you may wonder what doctrine has to do with faith. I say that doctrine is the teaching we stand upon by faith. Faith is not a subjective concept like luck, but is as firm as the law of gravity, our anchor to the kingdom of heaven in this present world.

Link to Titus Cyber Study
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Link to Cyber Bible and Study Aids
The Unbound Bible

Conclusion and Book Outline Left upon an Island in the Mediterranean where the church has begun but needs some “straightening out” and the appointment of elders. How tough is that? It sounds like a dream, a gem of a missionary appointment. But it is easy to let yourself be sucked into thinking that says that if we are just a little more moral then the world around us, if we are noticeably pious in our actions, then we have done our part and the world will watch and want what we have. Piece of cake.

This sort of thinking is not just self-centered, it is dangerous to those Jesus died for. They long to see the church as she was meant to be. Often all the world sees is an act, hypocrites. God has entrusted us with His word. We do not have the option to be subjective in how we interpret it or in how we live it out. That does not mean that we are without choices, it does not mean that we are to be a people who were all cut from the same cookie cutter. It means that we are to know God and His son Jesus. It is to remember that we are ambassadors for the kingdom of heaven, and that though we once were no different then anyone else, now we have grace, the favor of God, to guide and teach us.

With in the church there is a standard for living. It is the word of God. The Holy Spirit of God has been given to those who have experienced the washing of rebirth Titus 3:5-6. To simply be religious is to make your own decisions about what you will and will not do, how you will or will not live. To be born again is to have the power of God through grace and the Holy Spirit to live a life pleasing to God knowing you are justified not by your right choices, which is no justification at all, but by the grace of Jesus Christ who paid for your sin with his blood, He made us brand new, He did not make a retread. You are then an heir of God with the sure hope of eternal life. It is for this reason that we devote ourselves to doing good. Social things may come from the church but being part of the club (so to speak) is not the reason we join the church. Or is it?

It cannot be denied that there are those within the church building who are there because it is the right thing to do for whatever reason. It is good for the children. It is good for politics. It is good for business, or for many other and varied reasons including but certainly not limited to church attendance being what we always do on Christmas Eve and Easter. Should these churchgoers be welcomed in the church? Absolutely. I was once one of them. Paul even hints at this when he writes to Titus that their wrong doctrine must be rebuked sharply so that they will be sound in the faith. There are so many fables and superstitions ground into the fabric of the church. We must become a people who know the word of God because we know our God and His Son Jesus and therefore are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The epistle of Titus speaks to our culture. It is a call to know and to live the word of God.

Paul calls upon Titus to live by sound faith and doctrine, empowered by the grace of God and to be lived out through what we do, our works. The word of God was brought to light for Paul on the road to Damascus when living righteously was far from him, though he was a very religious man. He himself was washed by rebirth and justified by grace. It is no small matter. Paul was entrusted with this word to preach or proclaim it as given. He then would entrust the message to other men of God such as Titus, who were to entrust the word to elders of the churches, and to individuals who would pass it on. It is a sacred trust that has come to us.


Book and chapter titles plucked from the text were chosen from the key words and phrases observed in the text. Because these words and phrases are what the author emphasized, I like to draw my titles from them as well.

I felt that for the overall title of the book the phrase from Titus 1:9 conveyed the message of the book nicely. Chapter 1 has much to say about the type of person chosen as an authority in the church and therefore I chose a title for chapter 1 from Titus 1:7. Chapter 2 speaks over and over of teaching so I chose a phrase from Titus 2:15 as the title that represents the essence of the chapter. Among other subjects, chapter 3 speaks of who we were, who we are, and how we came to be so I chose a phrase from Titus 3:7 for my chapter title. They are--

Hold Firmly to the Trustworthy Message