Titus is the final letter in the collection called the Pastoral Epistles of Paul. Similar in design and purpose to the two letters to Timothy, Titus is a letter written to a young man in ministry who needed some encouragement and guidance as he struggled to be the leader of a church that faced some unique issues and problems.

The letter is named for the recipient, a young man named Titus, who is mentioned in the New Testament more than a dozen times, mostly in 2 Corinthians, who was serving on the island of Crete.

Author Of Titus

The author of this letter is Paul, and is stated so at the very beginning of the letter. This fact is virtually uncontested, and has been held throughout the centuries.

Date and Occasion

When Paul wrote Titus, he was either in Nicopolis, or on his way there. He planned to spend the winter there (Titus 3:12), and sent this letter to Titus during that same time frame. Titus had been left in Crete to lead the church that Paul had started there. This would place the letter somewhere around AD 62-64, after Paul had been released from his first imprisonment (Acts 28:30), but before his second imprisonment when he wrote 2 Timothy.

Titus was a coworker of Paul’s, and though he is not mentioned in the book of Acts, it is likely that he traveled with Paul on his second and third missionary journeys. And though it seems as if he had joined Paul in Corinth by the time of his work there, the letter of 2 Corinthians mentions him nine times, when this brief letter was written, Titus had been left in charge on the island of Crete, one of the largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea.

Purpose

Titus faced several challenges while serving in Crete. He faced some false teachers, much like Timothy did in Ephesus. His role was to grow the church and appoint elders to lead it into the future. But the culture in Crete was known for dishonesty, laziness and gluttony (Titus 1:12-13).

The letter to Titus is very similar to 1 Timothy, and parallels its content very closely. The difference lies in the fact that the church in Crete was new, while the one in Ephesus was well established. This fact makes one wonder if Paul was writing to prepare Titus for what was coming, rather than what he was already facing.

Much of the dominant theme in Titus is centered around good works, and how these attract outsiders.

Titus is an encouraging letter, and provides more insight into the leadership of a church and the qualifications of those who are in leadership. This letter is well worth taking the time to study and memorize. It is full of encouragement and hope, as Paul shares his heart with a close and dearly loved coworker.

Question: What passages from the letter to Titus are the most meaningful to you? You can leave a comment by clicking here.