Titus 1:5-9

Titus Is To Appoint Suitable Elders In The Churches (Titus 1:5-9 ).

The fact that this is a young and growing church comes out in that in many cities there appear to have been no official elders. Cretans had been present at Pentecost (Acts 2:11) and no doubt took the Gospel back with them, and we know that Paul visited Crete on the way to Rome (Acts 27:8). However, we know nothing more about how the church had become established in Crete, but if no elders had been appointed it is clear that their ministry was informal. That was not, of course, unusual in the early church, and the meetings around the island may well have at first been small. But news of the growth of the church had reached Paul’s ears, and he had paid them a visit along with Titus, and had arranged for Titus to remain there (Titus 1:5) in order to aid them in establishing their life and witness. Paul now gives Titus guidance about the appointment of suitable elders.

Analysis.

a I left you in Crete for this reason, that you should set in order the things that were wanting, and appoint elders in every city, as I gave you charge (Titus 1:5).

b If any man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, who are not accused of riot or unruly (Titus 1:6).

b For the bishop must be blameless, as God’s steward, not self-willed, not soon angry, no brawler, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre, but given to hospitality, a lover of good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled (Titus 1:7-8).

a Holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict the gainsayers (Titus 1:9).

Note that in ‘a’ he is to set things in order in the churches of Crete, and in the parallel those appointed are to be able to do the same. In ‘b an elder must be blameless, and in the parallel all bishops are to be blameless.