Paul’s Companions“Titus”

Laindon Bible Class Jan 6th 2010

Tonight’s Agenda

• Introduction• Historical background• What scripture tells us about Titus work• What we know of Titus’ character• Companionship and relationship with Paul• Lessons we can draw

Historical background• It is difficult to construct a historical context• We can be certain that :

– Titus was a Gentile/Greek• “But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though

he was a Greek” Gal 2:3

– Titus travelled and ministered contemporary with Paul– Titus was a trusted companion/friend of Paul

• BUT it’s not clear from the narrative in Acts (where his name is never mentioned) or Paul’s letters:– Where Titus came from – When /how Paul first encountered Titus– How old Titus was– When or where Titus died

• And: Titus left no written record of his own.

Titus’ Origins

• We know very little if anything of his genealogy • We have seen he was an uncircumcised

• We know Titus was in communication with Paul several times during Paul’s ministry– We know Titus was with Paul at the start of his

missionary journeys– We know Titus came to Paul with tidings from

Corinth– We think Titus spent time with Paul in Crete on his

4th missionary journey to Rome

Paul’s Essential Time Line• Slotting known events into Paul’s time line helps

us establish:– when they may have met and – how Titus may have helped Paul

• Key events begin with:– Paul taking Titus with him on his second visit to

Jerusalem “Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me” (Gal 2:1)

Titus with Paul

• Titus apparently did not go with Paul on his 1st visit to Jerusalem AD36/37* (Gal 1:18-19 & Acts 9:26-30 &

Gal 1:21-22)

• But as we’ve seen, Titus was with Paul before he went to Jerusalem 2nd time in AD44/47* about Famine Relief (Gal 2:1)

• Paul sets out on his 1st Missionary Journey AD46/47, but was Titus with him?

* Denotes an approximate date

Hellenism (Greek thought)• Judaism, though it has its root sin the Old Testament, sees God's Word through the

lens of Hellenism (Greek thought) and the traditions of Jewish scholars and teachers through the centuries. The Galatian Christians gave God's Word lip service, but did not depend on it as the source of their beliefs and practices. If they had, they would not have returned to pagan "days, months, seasons, and years," nor believed that justification could ever result from good works—a concept that is read into the Old Testament, but not actually found there.

• Similarly, the Colossian Christians were affected by an ascetic form of Gnosticism that included "ordinances" (KJV) or "regulations" (NKJV) that are not found in God's Word but were the commandments and doctrines of men(Colossians 2:20-23), as well as demons, the "basic principles of the world" (Colossians 2:8).

• This same distrust of God's Word is readily seen in today's Catholicism and Protestantism. The Catholic Church holds that Scripture is only one of three sources from which its dogma is derived—the other two being divine revelation and the writings and traditions of previous Catholic saints. The Bible, while generally utilized as the source of doctrine, can be easily overridden by the words of a Pope or other theologian, living or dead. Once again, human words and traditions are considered more trustworthy than God's.

Paul’s 1st Missionary Journey• Did Titus go with

him?

Paul’s Essential Time LineWhen did Paul write his letters to Galatians and Titus?

* Denotes an approximate date

Paul write letter to the Galatians (47-48)

This time line creates a chronological paradox

The Apparent Chronological Paradox

• Paul is generally believed to have written his letter to Titus from Ephesus.

• However, it is only recorded that:-– visited Ephesus during his 3rd missionary journey– and Crete enroute to Rome on his 4th and final

missionary journey • So why does he write in Titus 1:5 “This is why I

left you in Crete” as when he was in Ephesus he hadn’t yet been to Crete?

Where Was Paul When Wrote To Titus?

• It is generally believed that Paul wrote to both to Titus and his 1st letter to Timothy from Ephesus

Where Was Titus When Paul Wrote To Him• Paul’s

introduction to Titus from Ephesus places Titus in Crete

• Paul only recorded to have visited Crete after Ephesus, but cp Titus 1:5

Paul’s 3rd and 4th Missionary

It is likely that Titus and Paul met for the final time as Paul travelled to Rome

What scripture tells us about Titus’ work

• Titus Travelled with Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem for the famine relief discussions (Gal 2:1)

• Barnabas accompanies Paul on his first Missionary Journey (Acts 13:4 -14:26) did Titus also go? He’s not mentioned anywhere in Acts!

• Titus was exemplary in carrying messages to Paul from Corinthian Ecclesia

• Titus took on responsibility for pastoral care and administration of Crete

What we know of Titus’ character

• Titus exhibited great affection to the ecclesia at Corinth (2Chr 7:15)

– Titus was well respected at Corinth; with fear and trembling (2Chr 7:15)

• An organiser– Paul entrusted Titus to establish the church at Crete:

“This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and p appoint elders in every town as I directed you”(Titus 1:5)

• Titus was steadfast and reliable :“my true child in a common faith”(Titus 1:4)

Companionship and Relationship with Paul

• Titus, an uncircumcised Gentile, went with Paul to Jerusalem after 14 years! (Gal 2:1)

• Titus was accepted in Jerusalem on Paul’s account even though he was a Gentile (Gal 2:3)

• Paul commended Titus for having the same earnest care as for them as himself (2Cor 8:16)

• Paul called him:– a partner and fellow worker (2Cor 8:23)

– “My true child in a common faith” (Titus 1:4)

• Paul writes to him it is as a mature trustworthy brother– quite different to Timothy cp (Titus 2:1-2) & (2Tim 4:12-15)

Lessons we can draw

• Titus organised the ecclesia– In the ecclesia we must be exemplary (Titus 1:7-9)

• Titus is not instructed in Doctrine; what does that tell us about him? – Titus was conversant with sound doctrine (Titus 2:1)

• Titus is instructed in practical living the faith– A contrast with young Timothy (1Tim 1:3-5)

– As mature elder who had travelled extensively with Paul had out grown the milk of the word (Titus 3:1-2) & (

Titus 3:8-11)