Name
The title “Titus ” comes from the intended audience designated in 1:4, “To Titus, my true son in our common faith.” The body of the epistle makes it clear that Paul’s intended audience is Titus, with the expectation that Titus will teach others what Paul is teaching him in the letter.
Author
Paul explicitly claims the authorship of Titus in 1:1.
Externally, many early church fathers attribute the book of 2 Timothy to Paul, including Irenaeus, Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria, Polycarp, and Clement of Rome.
Note: Pauline authorship of the pastoral epistles (1 & 2 Timothy and Titus) remained unchallenged until the early 1800’s when liberal scholar J.E.C. Schmidt denied they were authentic to Paul. None of Schmidt’s claim’s supporting his argument of non-Pauline authorship holds up under scrutiny.
Genre
Epistle
Literary Form
The epistle to the Titus is a personal letter that includes sections of encouragement and instruction.
Time Frame
Most conservative scholars believe 1 Timothy was the first of the Pastoral Epistles to be written with Titus, and 2 Timothy written shortly before Paul’s death in A.D. 67.
Paul had been recaptured and was again in a Roman prison when he wrote 2 Timothy.
Emphasis
Titus was a Gentile believer who served with Paul (Galatians 2:1-3). In A.D. 63-64, Paul left Timothy in Ephesus and took Titus with him to Crete. Paul then left Titus behind in Crete to lead their churches.
The emphasis of the letter to Titus is to give him instructions for teaching and leading the churches in Crete. A recurring theme is the importance of Godly behavior among Christians as an example to others, especially the completion of good works.
Outline
- Greeting and salutation (1:1-4)
- Qualifications of elders (1:5-9)
- Characteristics of the false teachers (Judaizers) (1:10-16)
- Godly behavior among various groups of believers (2:1-10)
- Salvation and Godly behavior (2:11-15)
- The importance of good works (3:1-11)
- Concluding instructions and greetings (3:12-15)
