WHO WROTE:  Paul.

 

 

WHAT TIME PERIOD IS COVERED:  66 A.D. - 68 A.D.

 

 

WHEN WRITTEN:  This Epistle was probably written about the same time as the First Epistle to Timothy (around 66 or 67 A.D.), with which it has many affinities.  The date of its composition may be concluded from the circumstances that it was written under, that is, after Paul’s visit to Crete (Tit. 1:5).  That visit could not be the one referred to in Acts 27:7, when Paul was on his voyage to Rome as a prisoner, and where he continued to be a prisoner for two years.

 

 

INTRODUCTION:  Any Book written by Paul must be classified with this important statement from Peter, that all the writings of Paul are “hard to be understood,” Second Peter 3:16.  Making it even more difficult, according to Titus 1:12, Paul tells Titus that he will be dealing with “Cretians [who] are always liars.”  Titus was also a minister to the Corinthian Church (see 2Co. 7:9 & 14; 8:6 & 16 & 23; 12:18), and the Galatian Church (Gal. 2:1 & 3).

 

We may safely suppose that after his release from prison, Paul sailed from Rome into Asia and visited Crete by the way.  From there he left Titus to “set in order the things that were wanting,” Titus 1:5.  Thence he went to Ephesus, where he left Timothy, and from Ephesus to Macedonia, where he wrote First Timothy, and thence to Nicopolis in Epirus, from which place he wrote to Titus, whom Paul had left in charge of the entire island of Crete.

 

The First and Second Epistles to Timothy, and the Epistle to Titus form a distinct group among the letters written by Paul, and are now known as the “Pastoral Epistles,” because they were addressed to two Christian ministers.  In fact, Titus 1:5-9, Paul here gives the requirements and duties of an “elder,” in verses 5-6, and a “bishop,” in verses 7-9.

 

According to “The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia,” “Allusions to them are found in the writings of Clement and Polycarp.  In the middle of the 2nd century the epistles were recognized as Pauline in authorship, and were freely quoted.  ‘Marcion indeed rejected them, and Tatian is supposed to have rejected those to Timothy.  But, as Jerome states in the preface to his Commentary on Titus, these heretics rejected the epistles, not on critical grounds, but merely because they disliked their teaching.  He says they used no argument, but merely asserted, This is Paul’s, This is not Paul’s.  It is obvious that men holding such opinions as Marcion and Tatian held, would not willingly ascribe authority to epistles which condemned asceticism.  So far, then, as the early church can guarantee to us the authenticity of writings ascribed to Paul, the Pastoral Epistles are guaranteed.’  (Marcus Dods, Introduction to the New Testament, 167).”

 

The Epistle to Titus was not only well known to Clement and Polycarp, but also to Irenaeus, Tertullian, the author of the Epistle to the churches of Vienne and Lyons, and Theophilus of Antioch.   Ignatius, in his work, “Tralles,” 3, uses “behavior,” (Greek, “katasteema”), in the New Testament, as found only in Titus 2:3.  Clement of Rome quotes the Book of Titus in his work, “Ep. ad Cor.” 2, and Irenaeus in his work, “i. 16,” section 3, calling it Paul’s Epistle.  Theophilus, in his work, “ad Autol.” iii. 14, quotes it as Scripture.  Justin Martyr in the Second Century alludes to Titus 3:4, in his work, “Dial. contra Tryph.” 47.  Compare to “Clem. Alex. Strom.” 1:350, and Tertullian’s work, “Praescr. Haer.” 6.

 

What is interesting is that Titus is not mentioned at all in the Book of Acts.  This means we must get any information about him and his journeys with Paul in this Epistle.  Titus was a Grecian (Gal. 2:3).  According to Second Corinthians 7:6; 8:16-17 & 23, Titus spent time in Corinth administrating to the Church there.  And according to Titus 1:5, he spent time in Crete ordaining “elders,” and setting things in order.  In other words, Paul left Titus in charge of the entire island.

 

He also went with Paul to Jerusalem (Gal. 2:1).  However, Second Timothy 4:10 tells us that Demas had forsaken Paul; while Titus went to “Dalmatia,” meaning Titus accompanied Paul to Rome.  Dalmatia is a narrow belt of the east shore of the Adriatic Sea, stretching from the island of Rab in the north, to the Bay of Kotor in the south.  The reason I concluded that Titus went to Dalmatia, is because it was not a place that Paul had ministered to, nor does it seem that Paul sent Titus there.  It was Titus’ decision to accompany Paul to Rome.

 

According to “Fausset’s Bible Dictionary,” “A ruined church on the site of Gortyna bears the name of Titus, whom tradition makes bishop of Gortyna.  His name was the watchword of the Cretans when invaded by the Venetians.”  This makes Titus a real historical figure other than the Bible.

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