Early Church, Paul's Letter to Titus, Apostles Travels and Acts

THE STORY OF THE EARLY CHURCH

Verses about the Apostles' "TRAVELS and ACTS"

Part 22
PAUL'S LETTER TO TITUS

Some of Titus is here;
some is in Part 52, "Gospel of Jesus"
and some is in Part 69, "Christian Life and Worship"

THE MAIN TASKS FACING TITUS IN CRETE
22.1	Greetings	1:1-4
22.2	The reason Paul left Titus in Crete	1:5
22.3	The threat from false teachers	1:10-14
TEACHING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
22.4	Paul exhorts Titus to teach sound doctrine	2:1
22.5	Titus must teach and minister with authority	2:15
FINAL INSTRUCTIONS
22.6	Paul's travel instructions	3:12-13
22.7	A Warning about personal responsibility	3:14-15

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Book 17 of 27 - PAUL'S LETTER TO TITUS

Writer: The apostle Paul

Date: c AD66, assuming Paul was released from house arrest in Rome and continued his travels

Where written: Perhaps Macedonia or Ephesus

Reader: Titus, a Gentile convert, and friend and helper of Paul. Now a minister on the island of Crete

Why: Paul writes to encourage Titus who is working in difficult circumstances in Crete. He also instructs him in various matters

According to Some Modern Scholarship: Written by an unknown Christian towards the end of the 1st century, using Paul's name and some of his original material to give the letter authority

Map - Paul Writes his Pastoral or Teaching Letter to Titus

Map Key: Letter possibly from 1 to 2

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THE MAIN TASKS FACING TITUS IN CRETE

22.1 GREETINGS

Titus 1:1-4 - Paul, servant of God and messenger of Jesus Christ in the faith God gives to his chosen, in the knowledge of the truth that comes from a God-fearing life, and in the hope of the everlasting life which God, who cannot lie, promised before the beginning of time - (at the right moment he made his Word known in the declaration which has been entrusted to me by his command) to Titus, my true son in our common faith, be grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our saviour.

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22.2 THE REASON PAUL LEFT TITUS IN CRETE

Titus 1:5 - I left you in Crete to set right matters which needed attention and gave you instructions to appoint elders in every city.

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including verse 1:5 above, Titus continues

in Part 69 with verses teaching about "Christian Life & Worship"
1: 5-9	Christian leaders

then

22.3 THE THREAT FROM FALSE TEACHERS

Titus 1:10-14 - For there are many, especially among the Jews, who will not recognise authority, who talk nonsense and yet in so doing have managed to deceive men's minds. They must be silenced, for they upset the faith of whole households, teaching what they have no business to teach for the sake of what they can get. One of them, yes, one of their prophets (the Cretan poet Epimenides, c 600BC), has said: "Men of Crete are always liars, evil and beastly, lazy and greedy". There is truth in this testimonial of theirs! Don't hesitate to reprimand them sharply for you want them to be sound and healthy Christians, with a proper contempt for Jewish fairy tales and orders issued by men who have forsaken the path of truth.

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including verses 1:10-14 above, Titus continues

in Part 69 with verses teaching about "Christian Life & Worship"
1:10-16	Anti-Judaism

then:

TEACHING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

22.4 PAUL EXHORTS TITUS TO TEACH SOUND DOCTRINE

Titus 2:1 - Now you (Titus, as a minister) must tell them the sort of character which should spring from sound teaching.

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including verse 2:1 above, Titus continues

in Part 69 with verses teaching about "Christian Life & Worship"
2:1-8	Christian conduct
2:9-10	Employees

then:

in Part 52 with verses preaching the "Gospel of Jesus"
2:11-14	Jesus came that we might live Godly lives until he returns

22.5 TITUS MUST TEACH AND MINISTER WITH AUTHORITY

Titus 2:15 - Tell men of these things, Titus. Urge them to action, using a reprimand where necessary with all the authority of God's minister - and as such let no one treat you with contempt.

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Titus continues

in Part 69 with verses teaching about "Christian Life & Worship"
3:1-2	Government

and concludes here in Part 22, "Travels and Acts" with:

in Part 52 with verses preaching the "Gospel of Jesus"
3:3-8a	Saved from earthly sin and eternal damnation by Christ's sacrifice

in Part 69 with verses teaching about "Christian Life & Worship"
3: 8b-11	Argumentative

FINAL INSTRUCTIONS

22.6 PAUL'S TRAVEL INSTRUCTIONS

Titus 3:12-13 - As soon as I send Artemas to you (or perhaps it will be Tychicus - from Asia, probably the city of Ephesus), do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have made up my mind to spend the winter there. See that Zenas the lawyer and Apollos (whose teaching made such an impact on the Corinthian church) have what they require and give them a good send-off.

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22.7 A FINAL WARNING ABOUT PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY; FAREWELL

Titus 3:14-15 - And our people should learn to earn what they require by leading an honest life and so be self-supporting.

All those here with me send you greetings, Please give our greetings to all who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.

PAUL

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continuing the Apostle's "Travels and Acts", on to Part 23, 2 Timothy OR back to J B Phillips HomePage

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