The Book of Titus - WBT

Purpose of The Book of Titus:
Paul wrote this letter to his trusted friend and co-worker, Titus, in order to organize the church that he and Paul had established there, and to encourage Titus to continue his good work despite the harsh words of Jewish teachers concerning Titus' uncircumcision (Titus was a gentile).

Summary of The Book of Titus:
In times of trouble, Paul encourages Timothy to passionately and unashamedly devote himself to the ministry of the gospel. Paul exhorts Timothy to continue in his ministry despite the opposition of false teachers. He is to remain faithful until the end. As the final canonized letter from Paul, 2 Timothy functions like the Apostle’s last will and testament of the Apostle. Paul is entrusting in this letter the things that are precious to him, namely the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of David (2:8).

Author and Dates of The Book of Titus:
Probably around 63-65 AD, in the period of active ministry between his two imprisonments.

Crete, an island in the Mediterranean Sea, was notorious for their immoral lifestyles. Although we have no record of Paul ministering there (he made a stopover there on his way to Rome in Acts 27, but did not stay long) it seems that he and Titus spent some time there on another occasion, introducing them to the Christian faith.

Outline of The Book of Titus:

1. Greetings (Titus 1:1-4).
2. Leadership Qualities (Titus 1:5-9).
3. False Teachers (Titus 1:10-16).
4. Dealing with Diverse Groups of People (Titus 2:1-3:2).
5. False Teachings (Titus 3:3-11).
6. Concluding Remarks (Titus 3:9-15).

Themes of The Book of Titus:
Leadership: Like 1 Timothy, Paul's goal is to help the church at Crete function more smoothly and effectively, and give it structural protection against the challenges it faced. He does so by outlining the character traits of qualified "elders," governors of the truths of the faith.
Flexibility: In the fledgling church, there were all kinds of new situations that had to be handled in unique ways. Paul describes all kinds of different people groups and situations that needed to be handle in very specific ways, and his advice to the leaders of the Cretan church do not exactly match those he gave to the Ephesian church through Timothy. This illustrates the fact that, as Christians, we are not given a comprehensive, inflexible code by which we live, but rather principles of goodness, love, and righteousness that we apply with wisdom to each individual circumstance.
False Teachings: Everywhere Paul went, and in almost every letter he wrote, he combats the false teachings spread (in most cases) by Judaizing Christians who import much of the old system's laws, codes, rituals, and regulations into the new system of grace and spirit. In this book, it is especially important for Paul to disarm these teachers, since their attack was personal - Titus was himself an uncircumcised gentile.