A Guide for Christian Leaders

An EasyEnglish Commentary (2800 word vocabulary) on Pauls Letter to itus

www.easyenglish.info

Hilda Bright and Helen Pocock

This commentary has been through Advanced Checking. Words in boxes are from the Bible. A word list at the end explains words with a *star by them.

About this letter

What we know about Titus
Titus was a * entile Christian ! alatians "#$%. Titus had probably become a Christian when &aul taught the good news about 'esus Christ. (o &aul described Titus as his )true son* !+#,%. &aul described Titus as a partner and a worker with him !" Corinthians -#"$%. + Titus went to 'erusalem with &aul. &aul insisted that Titus need not obey the very strict *'ewish laws ! alatians "#+.,%. " &aul had to send a severe letter to the Christians in Corinth. !This letter may be + Corinthians. But it may be a letter that is not in the Bible.% They were allowing one of the Christians to act in a wicked way. They were not doing anything about it. Titus took the letter. /e also helped to sort out the serious situation !" Corinthians 0#-.+1%. $ Titus had a special responsibility. 2any poor Christians lived in 'erusalem. Titus had to organise the people in Corinth who collected money for the poor people !" Corinthians -#+34 +0%. , Titus had been working with &aul on the island called Crete. !This happened after &aul had been in prison in 5ome in Acts "-.% &aul did not have time to complete the work himself. (o he left Titus to finish it. 2any people considered that the people in Crete had bad characters. &aul was aware of this opinion.

The reason why Paul wrote the letter

+ Titus had to appoint men to lead the churches. &aul reminded Titus about the kind of character that a leader should have. " &aul advised Titus how he should teach different groups of people. These groups were the old people4 the young people and slaves. $ Titus had to emphasise the true message about 'esus Christ. /e had to tell the Christians how to behave in the right way. /e had to warn them about false teachers.

Chapter 1
Pauls greeting
v1 This letter is from &aul. 6 am a servant of od. 6 am an *apostle of 'esus Christ. 6 help the people that od has chosen. 6 help them4 as they believe. 6 help them to really know the truth. 6t shows them how to respect and please od. v2 This is the truth. od*s people can confidently expect to live for ever. Before time began4 od promised *eternal life. od cannot lie. v3 At the right time od let people know this good news. And he trusted me to tell it to everyone. od4 who saves us4 ordered me to do it. v4 6 write to you4 Titus. 7ou are my true son because we both believe od*s good news.

od is the 8ather. 'esus Christ saves us. 6 pray that they will give you *grace and peace. 9erse + The author described himself as )a servant of od*. A servant is loyal to his master. And he obeys his master. This title showed that &aul was humble. /e thought that it was an honour to serve od. &aul also described himself as )an *apostle of 'esus Christ*. An *apostle is someone whom od sends. (o &aul had od*s authority. )The people that od has chosen* refers to Christians. &aul worked for 'esus in two ways# + &aul had told people the good news about 'esus. As a result4 people believed and trusted 'esus. " &aul taught the Christians more about od*s true message. /e taught them how to live in the right way. /e wanted them to become mature Christians. Then they would not believe the false teachers. 9erse " )*:ternal life* is the life that comes from od himself. Christians already have *eternal life !'ohn 1#",%. 6t begins on earth. 6t continues in heaven after a Christian*s physical body dies. (o4 Christians know that they will live for ever with od. :ven before the world began4 od promised *eternal life. /e never lies. Christians can trust od*s promise completely. 9erse $ The )good news* is the message that od gives *eternal life by means of 'esus !+ 'ohn 1#++.+"%. 'esus can forgive people*s *sin and forgive their wicked deeds. Then they can receive *eternal life. &aul said that ) od4 who saves us* had told him to declare the good news. 6n verse ,4 &aul referred to )'esus Christ who saves us*. od the 8ather loves people so much that he sent 'esus to this world !+ 'ohn ,#+;%. 'esus obeyed his 8ather. (o4 both od the 8ather and od the (on save people. They rescue people from their evil ways. 'esus came )at the right time*. od*s always chooses the right time when he acts. od had given messages to the *prophets in the *<ld Testament. They had prepared people. The *prophets had told people that od would send a *2essiah !'esus%. (o the *'ews were expecting him to come. There were also practical reasons why it was the right time. The *5omans ruled most of the countries in that area of the world. The good news about 'esus could spread =uickly because# + The *5omans had built good roads4 so it was easy to travel. " The *5omans had stopped wars. There was peace in the countries that the *5omans ruled. Therefore4 people could travel safely. $ 2ost people understood the * reek language. (o4 it was easy for Christians to teach the good news everywhere. 9erse , &aul calls Titus his )true son*. Titus probably became a Christian when he first heard &aul teach about 'esus. (o4 &aul felt that he was like a Christian father to Titus. /owever4 they both belonged to same Christian family. (o4 od was the 8ather of both &aul and Titus. &aul gave the usual greeting. * race is a gift that od gives. We do not deserve it and we cannot earn it. )* race* means that od the 8ather is kind and generous to his children. od helps and protects people. od*s *grace comes to people by means of 'esus. /e gives his people everything that they need for their Christian life. )&eace*. 6n the */ebrew language this word is )shalom*. 6t is a traditional blessing in the *<ld Testament !>umbers 3#",."3%4 and among *'ewish people today. )&eace* is not ?ust the opposite of war or noise. &eace means that od gives a person a calm spirit. This affects every part of a person*s life and relationships. >obody can have od*s peace without his *grace.

The work that Titus had to do

v5 6 left you on the island called Crete. We had not finished our work there. (o 6 want you to put everything in order. 7ou should appoint *elders in every town as 6 told you to. v An *elder must be a good man. >obody should be able to blame him for doing anything wrong. /e should have only one wife. /is children should be loyal to od. They should not behave in a bad way but they should obey. v! A leader is a manager for od. The leader must be a good man. >obody should be able to blame him for doing anything wrong. /e must not please himself. /e must not have a bad temper. /e must not drink too much alcohol. /e must not fight. /e must not be greedy to get more money. v" 6nstead4 a church leader should en?oy having guests in his home. /e must love everything that is good. /e must be sensible. /e must behave in the right way. /e must be holy. /e must be able to control himself. v# /e must firmly believe the true message that we taught. Then he can encourage people as he teaches the truth. And he can answer the people who oppose the truth. 9erse 1 &aul and Titus had visited Crete. The book of Acts did not record the visit. (o4 it probably happened after &aul had been a prisoner !Acts "-#+3%. &aul may have visited Crete for only a short time. /e did not have enough time to complete his work. But he had told Titus what to do. Therefore4 Titus had &aul*s authority to do the work. Titus had to )put everything in order*. /e had to organise the church properly. /is first ?ob was to appoint *elders in every town. )*:lder* is another name for a Christian leader. roups of Christians met in many of the towns in Crete. :ach group needed good leaders who were in charge of the Christians. *:lders were often older mature men. /owever4 a young man could be an *elder if he was a strong Christian. &aul had already told Titus how to appoint *elders. (o4 in this letter4 &aul told Titus what =ualities *elders and leaders should have. These =ualities and standards still apply to Christian leaders today.

$%lders and leaders

This list is very similar to the list in + Timothy chapter $.

The &ualities that an $elder should have'

9erse 3 + An *elder should behave well. /e should not *sin on purpose. A leader who pleases od always tries to obey od. + &eter 1#$ says that a leader should be a model for other Christians. 6f a leader behaves badly then Christians will not learn to respect od. They will not learn how to behave properly. And other people will accuse the *elders too. " An *elder should have one wife. This means that a married *elder should be loyal to his wife. /e must not have affairs with other women. /owever an *elder can marry again if his wife has died. 6t may also mean that all *elders should be married4 not single4 men. $ An *elder*s children should behave well too. An *elder should be able to teach his children about od. /e should teach them how to behave properly. &eople would not respect a man who could not control his own family !+ Timothy $#,.1%. This probably refers to *elders whose children still live at home. 9erse 0 (ome :nglish Bibles translate the word )leader* as )bishop*. But the words )*elder* and )leader* refer to the same ?ob. &aul was referring to a leader in a local church. A manager is responsible for something that belongs to another person. od trusts leaders to do his work properly. All Christians belong to od*s family. (o leaders care for od*s family. That is why leaders should be able to care for their own families first. &aul repeated that leaders should behave well. /e listed 1 bad things that leaders should not do. Then4 in verses -.@4 he listed good things that leaders should do.

What a leader (ust not do'

+ /e must not please himself. A selfish man pleases himself. /e takes no notice of what other people need. 'esus showed that a leader should serve other people !'ohn +$#+.+0%.

" /e must not have a bad temper !'ames +#+@.";%. A man who gets angry =uickly often insults people. /e argues and does not listen to people. 6nstead4 a leader should be patient as he helps people. $ /e must not drink too much alcohol. 6nstead4 he should control himself properly. , /e must not fight. A leader should help to unite people. /e should be gentle. 1 /e must not be greedy to get more money. /e must not try to get money in ways that are not honest. &eople who love money may turn away from od. 6nstead4 a leader should be content and generous !+ Timothy 3#3.+;4 +0.+@%. /e must not be like the people in Crete4 who were greedy for money !verse ++%.

What a leader should do'

9erses -.@ + /e should be ready to welcome strangers into his home. 6n those days4 small hotels were dirty and expensive. Christian teachers and other travellers often needed somewhere to stay. Both &aul !5omans +"#+$% and &eter !+ &eter ,#@% urge Christians to welcome guests. " /e must love good people and good things. /e must act in ways that will help other people. $ /e must be sensible. This means that he should control what he says and does. /e must think about the possible results of his words and actions. , /e must behave in the right way towards other people. /e should have a high standard of behaviour. 1 /e must be holy. This means that he should be sincere and be loyal to od. 3 /e must be able to control himself. Then he will be able to rule other people. 0 /e must firmly believe the true message. &aul had taught the true message about 'esus to the people in Crete. But there were many false teachers who did not teach the truth. And many people opposed the Christians. (o4 Titus had to appoint leaders who had continued to believe the truth. Those leaders would teach the truth to Christians. The leaders would also be able to explain the truth to the false teachers. The good character and =ualities of Christian leaders were important. They had to be different from the false teachers in Crete.

)ow to deal with the *alse tea+hers

v1, There are many people4 especially from among the *'ews4 who refuse to obey od*s truth. They talk about things that have no value. They lead people away from the truth. v11 7ou must stop these people. They are upsetting whole families. They teach things to these families that they should not teach them. They do it for financial profit. v12 <ne of their own prophets !speakers% has said4 )&eople who come from Crete always tell lies. They are like evil wild animals. They are laAy people who eat too much.* v13 This is true. Therefore4 correct these people very firmly. Then they will be strong when they believe the truth about 'esus. v14 Then they will not give attention to the *'ewish false stories. And they will not obey the commands from the men who have opposed the truth. v15 :verything is pure !morally good% to the people who are pure. But nothing is pure to the people who are not morally pure. They do not trust od. Their mind and their conscience are full of evil things. v1 They say that they know od. But they deny him by the way that they live. They are very bad people. They do not obey. They cannot do anything that is good.

The *alse tea+hers

9erses +;.++ There were many false teachers in Crete. 2any of them were *'ews. They probably went to the Christian meetings. But they caused a lot of trouble among the Christians. 2any false teachers said that Christians must obey the *'ewish rules. 8or example4 they should avoid certain food. They also should wash in a special way before they ate meals. The *'ews had accused 'esus* *disciples because they did not obey these rules !2ark 0#+.1%. /owever4 the false teachers would not obey od*s word4 and they would not obey the church leaders.

The words of these false teachers were not useful. They did not cause people to live a good life !verse +3%. They told false stories !verse +,%. They led people away from od*s truth. The false teachers had a bad effect on family life. They were teaching lies that ruined families. The false teachers taught those things for the wrong reason. They were greedy for money and they wanted to become rich. They did not care about other people. They cared more about money. &aul said that Titus should stop the false teachers. The word )stop* means to shut their mouth. The false teachers* lies could have ruined the church. 9erse +" :ven one of their own famous speakers described the people in Crete as bad. /is name was :pimenides. /e was a teacher and a poet. /e lived about 3;; years before 'esus was born. /e said that# + They always told lies. The common phrase )to speak like a person in Crete* meant )to tell a lie*. " They were as cruel as wild animals. $ They were laAy people. They ate too much and drank too much wine. 9erse +$ &aul knew this famous phrase about the people who lived in Crete. &aul believed what :pimenides had said. &aul also knew it from his own experience4 especially with the false teachers. (o Titus had to deal with them firmly. They would continue to cause trouble if they did not know the truth. &aul did not want the false teachers to leave the church. 6nstead4 he wanted them to know the truth about 'esus. &aul did not want Titus to punish the false teachers. /e wanted to save them from the lies. Then they would be strong Christians. When someone *sins4 we should always try to correct him or her ! alatians 3#+."%. 9erse +, The )*'ewish false stories* are probably the same ones that Titus $#@ and + Timothy +#, refer to. (ome *'ews had made up stories about people in the *<ld Testament. Then people wasted time as they discussed these false stories. The )commands* were probably traditions and rules that men had invented. But the men who invented these rules refused to obey the truth. The *'ews had made up extra rules about the kind of food that people could eat. They told people what they could touch or do. *'ews said that Christians must obey these traditions and rules. &aul listed some of these rules in Colossians "#+3. "$ and + Timothy ,#+.1. The *'ews said that their rules explained od*s laws. But they had made up the rules. When the false teachers believed the truth4 they would not be interested in the lies any more. 9erse +1 6n this verse4 the word )pure* means innocent and without *sin. A pure person is good. /e is not a mixture of good and evil. The *'ews said that a person should obey all the *<ld Testament commands. And they said that he should obey all the *'ewish traditions. That person would then be )pure* or )clean*. 'esus said that those commands and traditions could not make a person pure !2ark 0#+."$B Cuke ++#$0.,+%. A person becomes pure in his spirit when he trusts 'esus. 'esus affects the person*s mind and conscience so that he is full of good things. >othing physical can make him less pure in his spirit. /owever4 if a person is not pure in his spirit4 nothing physical can make his spirit pure. 9erse +3 A person who truly knows od will behave in a good way. But the false teachers behaved in a very bad way. This showed that they did not really know od. They declared that they were pure. But they could not do anything that was good. Therefore4 they were no use to od or to other people.

Chapter 2
What Titus had to tea+h
v1 But you4 Titus4 must teach the things that are true. v2 Teach the older men that they should not drink too much wine. <ther people should be able to respect them. They should be able to control themselves. They must believe what is true. They must love and be patient. v3 6n the same way4 you should teach the older women to live a holy life. They must not speak badly about other people. They must not drink too much wine. But they should teach people that which is good. v4 Then they can teach the young women to love their husbands and their children. v5 The young women should also learn how to control themselves. And they should be pure !morally good%. They should be busy at home. They should be kind. They should obey their husband. Then people cannot say evil things about the good news that comes from od.

The Christian +hara+ter

9erse + Titus had to teach the Christians who lived in Crete. The false teachers had taught the Christians many wrong things. Titus was different from the false teachers. /e had to teach what was true. /e taught the different groups of people how to behave in the right way.

The older (en

9erse " <lder men should be mature. They should not behave in a foolish way. 7ounger people often copy older peopleB so older people should be good models. + They should not drink too much wine. &eople often behave badly when they drink too much wine. Then they cannot think clearly. " They must be men whom other people can respect. They should be serious and they should not be silly. They must realise that life on earth will come to an end. Then they will live in the right way to prepare for heaven. $ They must be able to control their words and actions. They should think about the results of their behaviour. They should be sensible. , They must trust od completely as they believe the true *gospel message. 1 As they trust od4 they will love him more. Then they will be able to love other people more. They should be able to understand people more. Then they can give more sympathy to those people who need help. (ome old people tend to complain about people more. But this should not happen to Christians. 3 They should be patient. They should have courage when life is difficult. &aul links faith !what people believe%4 love and patience in two other personal letters. !(ee + Timothy 3#++.+"B " Timothy $#+;.%

The older wo(en

9erse $ The older women should behave in a mature way4 too. They should always try to please od. The result of their good character should be their good behaviour. An older woman may have more spare time because her children have become adults. 6n that society4 women often met together to gossip about other people. They also drank too much wine. To )speak badly* means to say evil things and to lie. &aul said that Christian women should be different. They should be good models for other people to copy. They should use their time wisely. &aul wanted these women to teach in their homes. They should always speak about good things. 9erse ,

&aul did not tell Titus to teach the young women. The older women had to teach them. The older women had a lot of experience and wisdom. They had learned how to be good wives and mothers. (o4 they could advise the younger women when they had problems in married life. They could teach the young women how to be kind to their children. When a woman loves someone4 she does not ?ust have good feelings. &aul describes more about the =ualities of love in + Corinthians +$#,.-.

The young wo(en

9erse 1 6n that society4 most of the young women were married. (ome were widows. But &aul suggested that the widows should marry again !+ Timothy 1#+,.+1%. + The young women should learn how to control themselves. They should be sensible. They should behave well. " They should be pure. They should avoid *sin and they should have a good character. They should be morally good. $ 6n those days4 a married woman worked in her home. (he was responsible for everything that happened in her home. Therefore4 she should not be laAy. 6nstead4 she should be willing to work hard and serve her husband and her family. , They should be kind. A kind woman is helpful. (he tries to please other people4 so she is not selfish. 1 They should obey their husband. A wife knows that her husband is the head in their home !:phesians 1#"".",%. 6t is much easier for a wife to obey her husband if she loves him. And she should respect him too. Women must behave in these ways so that no one can say evil things about the Christian message. This may refer to wives whose husbands are not Christians. Their husbands might believe the good news if their wives made a safe and happy home. And they would be more likely to believe if their wives obeyed them !+ &eter $#+."%. 6t could also mean that the Christian good news would attract other people. v 6n a similar way4 urge the young men to control themselves. v! 6n every way you should be a model to them. 7ou should do what is good. Be honest and be serious as you teach. v" (peak the truth so that nobody can say bad things against you. Then the people who oppose you will be ashamed. They will not have anything bad to say about us.

The young (en

9erse 3 &aul used the strong word )urge*. 6t means to teach and to persuade. 7oung people4 especially young men4 are often tempted to do wrong things. They may be too confident because they do not have enough experience or wisdom. They do not understand what can go wrong with a bold plan. They may live or work away from the discipline of a good home. They may be careless about the friends that they choose. 6f they are not yet married4 they can please themselves. 6f they have a wife and family4 they may not realise their responsibilities. 6t is very important that all Christians should control themselves properly. They should control# + how they act " what they say $ what they think about , how they express their emotions 1 their desires 9erse 0 &aul told Titus to be a good model. &aul said this to Timothy too !+ Timothy ,#+"%. Titus had to be a model )in every way*. /e had to teach the truth and he had to behave in the right way. This would show that he taught the truth. The false teachers said that they taught the truth. But they behaved in a bad way.

)Be honest* also means to be sincere. Titus had to show that his intention was good. /e had to teach for the right reason. !The false teachers taught for financial profit4 +#++.% /e also had to be serious. As a teacher4 he had an important ?ob. /e had to be aware of his responsibility. 9erse Titus had to be careful about everything that he said in public or private conversation. /e had to be sensible. /e always had to speak the truth. 2any people opposed the Christians. &eople watched Titus and they listened to him. They were ready to accuse him. But Titus could show that they were wrong. 6f he lived in the right way4 he would be innocent. They might still oppose him. But they would have to respect his good behaviour. &eople would see that Titus was different from the false teachers. As a result4 some of them would believe the good news about 'esus. v# Teach slaves always to obey their masters. They should try to please their masters. They should not argue with their masters. v1, (laves should not steal from their masters. 6nstead4 slaves should prove that their masters can trust them. This will show that the good news about od our *(aviour is attractive in every way.

Christian slaves
9erses @.+; Today4 most people believe that people should not be slaves. But in those days4 there were many slaves in society. Both men and women were slaves. &aul accepted it as part of normal life. 6n Colossians $#"".,#+4 &aul taught Christian masters and slaves how to behave in the right way. Both slaves and masters serve 'esus Christ. /e is their master who is in heaven. (o slaves are actually working for the *Cord. + A slave must obey his master. &aul did not say whether the master was a Christian. But the slave should even obey a master who is not a Christian. /owever4 no one should do anything that od*s law opposes !Acts 1#"@%. 6f the master is a Christian4 the slave must still respect his master !+ Timothy 3#"%. " A slave must be eager to please his master. A slave must be willing to do his duties. /e should work well. $ A slave should not argue with his master. /e should respect his master. A slave should not insult his master. /is master is the boss. , A slave must not steal. 2any slaves stole some of their master*s property. They probably thought that their master would not notice. A Christian slave must not steal even the smallest thing. 1 A slave must be completely honest and loyal. A master should be able to trust his Christian slave. 6n those days4 people thought that slaves were useful. But people did not consider that slaves were important as people. (o4 &aul showed that Christian slaves had an important responsibility. They could show that the Christian good news is powerful. ) od our *(aviour* is powerful. /e can change the way that people behave. Christian slaves should behave much better than other people in their society did. (laves who acted in the right way would make the Christian message more attractive to everyone. And more people would become Christians. Today4 many countries do not allow people to be slaves. But these verses also apply to anyone who works for a boss. &aul referred twice in this letter to od as )*(aviour* !"#+;B $#,% and also in his letter to Timothy !+ Timothy "#$B ,#+;%. 6n :phesians "#,.14 he said that od loved people so much that he rescued them from their *sin. Therefore4 Christians should behave in the right way. They should be different from the false teachers4 who behaved in the wrong way. v11 8or od*s *grace4 which can save everyone4 has appeared. v12 od*s *grace teaches us to refuse anything that opposes od. 6t teaches us to refuse our wicked desires for things in this world. 6nstead4 we should control ourselves. We should do what is right. We should please od while we live in this world. v13 We should live like that while we look forward to a wonderful future event. od our *(aviour4 who is 'esus Christ4 will appear with great *glory. v14 'esus Christ gave himself for us. /e freed us from all our *sin and from our wicked ways. /e made us clean !forgiven% so that we could belong to him. And so4 we should be eager to do what is good.

$-ra+e and $-lory

9erse ++ The reason why every Christian should live a good life is because of od*s *grace. )* race* means that od is kind to us !see notes on +#,%. od*s *grace )appeared* when 'esus came to earth. )Appeared* describes the way that the sun rises at dawn. This word links with Cuke +#0@. ) od our *(aviour* !verse +;% wants to save everyone from his or her *sin. But every person has to decide whether to believe and trust od. 9erse +" od*s *grace trains us in two ways. 6t teaches us to give up anything bad. 6t guides us to do good things. When someone becomes a Christian4 he or she starts a new life. 6n Colossians $#@.+;4 &aul said that a person )takes off* his old character. Then he )puts on* his new character4 which is like Christ*s character. After that4 Christians have to learn how to behave in the right way. As they understand more about od*s *grace4 they learn how to please od. od*s *grace teaches us to refuse the bad things# + &eople can oppose od in their behaviour4 words and thoughts. They also oppose od when they neglect od and his truth. " Christians should not satisfy their wicked desires !+ 'ohn "#+1.+3%. These desires are selfish. od*s *grace teaches us to live in the right way# + towards ourselves. We will control all our desires. We will control how we behave. " towards other people. We will be fair and honest with other people. $ towards od himself. We will behave in a way that brings honour to od. We will do only the things that please od. This right behaviour shows that a person is a true Christian. 9erse +$ Christians should always think about the future. <ne day4 'esus will return to this world !Acts +#@. ++B + Thessalonians ,#+,.+-B " &eter $#+;.+$%. 6t is like waiting for a royal visit. 6n the past od*s *grace appeared. This happened when od sent 'esus into the world !verse ++%. 6n the future4 od*s *glory will appear when 'esus returns to this world. 'esus Christ4 who is both od and *(aviour4 will return in splendid power. 6t will be a magnificent event. We know that it will certainly happen. Christians will then live for ever with od. (o4 we should be happy as we look forward to it. 9erse +, 6n 'ohn -#$,4 'esus said that everyone who *sins is a slave to *sin. *(in is like his master. od had to punish all *sin. The punishment for *sin is death !5omans 3#"$%. But od has not punished people4 because he is very kind to them. 6nstead4 od punished 'esus. od planned that 'esus would have to die !Acts "#"$%. 'esus never *sinned but he was willing to obey od*s plan. 'esus )gave himself for us*. This means that he died instead of us. /e freed us from everything that is evil !+ &eter +#+-.+@%. The word )freed* describes how a person bought a slave from a bad master. The slave was free from his old master. The slave then obeyed his new4 good master. When 'esus died4 he )paid* for us with his blood !his life%. When we trust 'esus4 'esus frees us from every bad and evil thing. 'esus forgives our *sins and makes us )clean*. 'esus is now our new master and we belong to him. (o we should have a strong desire to please him. Then we will behave in the right way. &aul describes more about this in 5omans 3#+3."".

Three tasks
v15 Teach all these things. :ncourage people and correct them with all authority. 2ake sure that everyone respects you. 9erse +1 &aul urged Titus to continue what he had been doing. )Teach* means to continue to speak about those things. Titus had to keep telling the Christians what od had done for them. /e had to keep telling them how to behave in the right way. )All these things* refers to "#+.+,.

+ /e had to encourage Christians. This means that he had to be kind to them /e had to help them and to urge them. " Titus4 as a Christian leader4 had authority that came from od. (ome Christians believed the wrong things. They had probably listened to the false teachers. (ome Christians behaved in the wrong way. 2aybe some Christians still behaved in the way that they used to !+#+"%. Titus had to correct the people who were wrong. /e had to be firm with them. $ &eople had to respect Titus. /e was teaching od*s message. /e was behaving in the right way !+#0.@%. This order may have been for the Christians who lived in Crete. (omeone would have read &aul*s letter to them. Then they knew that they should respect Titus and his work. &aul gave similar orders to Timothy !+ Timothy ,#+"%.

Chapter 3
The Christian +iti.en
v1 5emind the people about these things. The people should let the government and the rulers have authority over them. The people should obey. And they should be ready to do what is good. v2 They should not say evil things about anyone. They should not fight with anyone. 6nstead4 they should be gentle and humble with everyone. 9erse + The people who lived in Crete often argued. They also caused trouble. They were angry because the *5omans ruled them. The Christians had to live in a society that the *5omans had organised. &aul had already taught the people how to live as Christian citiAens. But Titus had to remind them again. Christians have to obey the government that rules their country. !/owever4 Christians should never do something that is against od*s laws.% 6n 5omans +$#+.04 &aul said that all authority comes from od. od wants rulers to protect citiAens. 5ulers of a country should make good laws. Then that country will be a safe and a peaceful place. 5ulers should punish the people who do not obey the laws. &aul did not want the Christians to involve themselves in political arguments. 6nstead4 the Christians should be prepared to do good things. 6n that way4 they would serve the people in their society. 6t would also help their government. 9erse " 2any of the people who lived in Crete had bad characters !+#+"%. (o the Christians had to behave in a better way. They had to be careful about what they said. They had to be careful about what they did. &eople often insulted or said bad things about other people. But Christians should not insult people back !+ &eter "#"$%. Christians should be kind to people because od is kind. Christians can have opinions. They do not have to agree with everyone. But they should not be angry and they should not have fights. A humble person is patient. /e does not insist on his own rights. /e cares about all kinds of people. ):veryone* included rulers4 people who had bad characters and slaves. 6n those days4 people considered that slaves were property rather than people. v3 There was a time when we too were foolish. We did not obey. We did not know the truth. We were like slaves to many kinds of evil desires and feelings. We spent our lives hurting other people. We were ?ealous of them. &eople hated us4 and we hated each other. v4 Then od our *(aviour appeared to us. /e is kind and he loves people. v5 /e saved us. /e did not save us because we had done good things. But he saved us because he cared about us. And he was kind to us. /e saved us when he washed away our *sins. We were born again. The /oly (pirit gave us new *spiritual life. v od generously poured out his /oly (pirit on us by 'esus Christ our *(aviour. v! od says that we are not guilty. /e says that we are *righteous. /e did this because of his *grace. We know now that certainly we will receive the life that never ends. v" These things that 6 have told you are all true. 6 want you to emphasise them to the people who have trusted od. Then they will be careful always to do the right thing. These things are good and they will help everyone.

What the people were like be*ore they be+a(e Christians

9erse $ &aul had described how Christians should behave. 6n these verses4 he described what they were like before. /e said )we*. (o he included himself4 Titus4 the Christians in Crete and other people who believed. &aul reminded them why Christians should never be proud. They had all behaved badly before they became Christians. Therefore4 they should not have a severe attitude to people who were not Christians. The people who lived in Crete had bad characters. But Titus should not give up. :ven wicked people could become Christians because of od*s *grace. 6n :phesians 1#-4 &aul had written )once you were darkness4 but now you are light in the *Cord*. Before they heard the good news4 they were foolish. They did not understand od and his commands. (o they did not obey od. Christ is the way to od !'ohn +,#3%. But they had followed the wrong way. They could not control themselves. 6nstead4 their strong desires and feelings controlled them. Their lives were full of cruel words and actions. They were ?ealous of what other people were like. They were ?ealous of what other people owned. When people hate each other4 it causes problems for society.

The work o* -ods $gra+e

9erse , ) od our *(aviour* is 'esus Christ. 6n those days4 *5oman rulers declared that they were )god* and )*saviour*. But &aul showed that this was false. od is always generous. /e is kind and he loves everyone. od*s behaviour is different from the behaviour in verse $. od did not want people to continue to live in that bad way. 9erse 1 9erses 1.0 may be part of a song that they sang at a *baptism. Christians should be grateful that 'esus has rescued them from their *sin. &eople cannot save themselves. And od does not save them because they have made themselves good enough. >obody is good enough for od. od loves people so much that he sent 'esus to this world !'ohn $#+3%. od is kind to people because he loves them. That is why od saves people. &aul emphasised od*s kindness !his )*grace*% in other letters !:phesians "#,.@B alatians "#+3%. When a person washes in water4 his body becomes clean. When od forgives a person od )washes away* the person*s *sins. *Baptism shows what happens in a person*s spirit !5omans 3#$. 0%. /is old life dies and the /oly (pirit gives him new life. The person leaves his old life behind and he begins a new Christian life. Cife begins again like a new birth. The /oly (pirit gives people power to please od. 9erse 3 od has )poured out* his /oly (pirit on all true Christians. This started in 'erusalem on the day of *&entecost !Acts "%. od*s gifts are always generous. od has a rich supply of gifts for us from the /oly (pirit. A person must receive 'esus Christ as his or her *(aviour first. Then he or she receives the /oly (pirit. 9erse 0 6t was od*s purpose that by his *grace he should save us. When 'esus Christ died4 od forgave our *sins. Then he made us *righteous !" Corinthians 1#+0."+%. /e did this because he loves us. /e did this because he is kind to us. We are now od*s children. Therefore4 in this present world we have the right to en?oy a new =uality of life. And when our bodies die4 our spirit will live with Christ for ever. 9erse )These things* refer to what &aul taught in verses ,.0. The false teachers said that they knew od. But their actions showed that they did not really know him. They did not behave in a way that pleased od !+#+3%. All Christians should understand what od has done for them. od loves them and he has been very kind to them. When Christians really know od4 then they will behave in the right way. They will always try to please od. They will have to avoid the things that are wrong. That re=uires effort. They will have to think about what they do. As a result4 their actions will benefit other people. They will help even the people who are not Christians. This is how Christians can affect their society.

v# Avoid foolish discussions. Avoid long lists about the history of people*s families. Avoid arguments. Avoid =uarrels about the law. These things are worth nothing. They do not help anyone. v1, 6f someone keeps causing arguments4 warn him once. Then warn him a second time. After that4 avoid him. v11 7ou know that a man like that is evil and *sinful. /is own *sin shows that he is guilty.

/ehaviour that is not use*ul

9erse @ We can contrast this with what &aul wrote in verse -. The *'ews had stupid arguments and disagreements about what the *'ewish laws meant. The *'ews made up many extra laws too. They made up false histories about people in the *<ld Testament !see the notes on +#+,%. They became angry about things were no use at all. Christians and *'ews believe the )*<ld Testament*. But the *'ews had many discussions that helped no one. (o Christians had to avoid those discussions. 9erses +;.++ When a person keeps arguing4 he can cause trouble. /e is proud and he will not listen to other people. /e has decided that he alone is right. /is attitude is *sinful. A person who is like that can confuse new Christians. And he can divide a group of Christians. /is wicked actions show that he is guilty. &aul advised Titus about how to deal with a man like that. Titus had to warn him once or twice. To )warn* means to show the man where he was wrong. That gave the man a chance to change. /e might realise that he was wrong. 6f he was humble4 Titus could teach him the truth about od. But if the man continued to cause trouble4 he would become a false teacher. Titus and the Christians had to avoid him.

0ast instru+tions
v12 6 am going to send Artemas or Tychicus to you. When he arrives4 try to come to me in the city called >icopolis. 6 have decided to stay here during the winter. v13 Do everything that you can to help Eenas the lawyer and Apollos on their ?ourney. They should have everything that they need. 2ake sure that they do. v14 <ur people should learn to spend their time doing good work. Then they will be able to provide for other people. And they will have useful lives. v15 All the people who are with me send their greetings. reet all the Christians who love us. 2ay od*s *grace be with all of you. 9erse +" &aul had decided to spend the winter in a city called >icopolis. &eople did not travel far in the winter because of the bad weather. &aul wanted Titus to try to go to >icopolis too. /owever4 &aul did not want to leave the church in Crete without a leader. Therefore4 &aul was sending Artemas or Tychicus to be the leader instead of Titus. We know nothing about Artemas. Tychicus often travelled with &aul !Acts ";#,%. Tychicus took a letter from &aul to Colossae city !Colossians ,#0%. Tychicus also took a letter from &aul to :phesus city !:phesians 3#"+.""B " Timothy ,#+"%. 9erse +$ Eenas may have been a *5oman lawyer. <r he may have been a *'ew who was an expert in the law of 2oses. /e had become a Christian. Apollos was a well.known Christian who had worked in :phesus !Acts +-#",% and Corinth !+ Corinthians $#3%. These two men were probably in Crete. They may even have brought &aul*s letter to Titus. &aul does not say where the two men were going. But &aul wanted them to have what they needed. 6n those days4 Christian workers often travelled a long way. 2any people had helped &aul while he was travelling !Acts +1#$B 5omans +1#",B + Corinthians +3#1.3%. 9erse +, )<ur people* refers to Christians. &aul wanted all the Christians4 not ?ust Titus4 to be generous. The Christians in Crete had to work hard and not be laAy !+#+"%. They would be able to provide for their own families. They would also be able to provide for other people. od is pleased when Christians do this !$ 'ohn 1.3%. (elfish people produce nothing good. But generous people can help many other people.

9erse +1 &aul ended his letters with a greeting. 6t helped to unite Christians. 2any people worked with &aul and they prayed for the churches. That must have encouraged the people in the churches. This letter had ?ust a short greeting. &aul did not say who was with him. &aul wanted all the Christians in Crete to receive od*s *grace and kindness.

Word 0ist
apostle F someone whom od sends to teach about 'esus and to lead his church. baptis( F when they put a person into water to show that he or she belongs to 'esus Christ. dis+iple F someone who follows 'esusB someone who learns what he teaches. elder F a leader in the church. eternal F something that has no beginning or end. -entile F anyone who is not a *'ewB anything to do with someone who is not a *'ew. glory F the beautiful light round od. 6t shows how good and powerful he is. gospel F the good news for everybody that od saves people from *sin by 'esus ChristB the good news of the things that 'esus has done for us. gra+e F a gift from od that we do not deserveB we cannot earn itB what od gives because he is generous and kindB the help and protection that od gives. -reek F the original language of the *>ew Testament. )ebrew F the language of the *'ews and of the *<ld Testament. 1ews F people in the family of Abraham4 6saac and 'acob and their children. 1ewish F anything to do with a *'ew. 0ord F the name for od or 'esus in the BibleB it means that he is above all other thingsB a name that we use for 'esusB we use it when we obey him. 2essiah F a special servant of odB a name for 'esus ChristB it means the person whom od sentB he sent him to save people from the anger of od because of our bad ways. 3ew Testa(ent F the second part of the Bible. 6t is about the things that 'esus did and taught. 6t is about the church. 4ld Testa(ent F the first part of the BibleB the holy things that the writers wrote before Christ*s birth. Pente+ost F a special day for the *'ews 1; days after :aster. prophet F a person who hears od*s words4 and tells them to other people. A person who spoke od*s words. (ome prophets wrote books in the Bible. righteous F to do what is right and goodB people that od sees as pure and not his enemies. 5o(an F people who lived in or who came from the city called 5omeB that which belonged to 5ome. 5ome was a powerful city at that time. 6t had a strong army. The 5omans ruled many countries. Those countries had to obey 5oman law and pay 5oman taxes. 6aviour F 'esus4 the person who saves usB the one who rescuesB someone who will bring us back to od from the bad things that we have doneB someone who saves us from the bad things that other people have done to us. sin F !+% to do wrong against od or against other peopleB !"% the evil things that are in us. sin*ul F evil and wrong. spiritual F belongs to the spirit rather than physical thingsB belongs to od*s (pirit or to heaven.

/ook 0ist
William Barclay F The letters to Timothy4 Titus and &hilemon. 'ohn Calvin F + G " Timothy and Titus F Crossway Classic Commentaries Donald uthrie F The &astoral :pistles F Tyndale Commentaries &hilip /. Towner F + G " Timothy G Titus F 69& >ew Testament Commentary (eries

William /endriksen F Timothy and Titus F eneva (eries Commentary >ew Bible Commentary "+st Century edition F 69& The Bible Hnowledge Commentary F 69& 9arious translations of the Bible Cobuild :nglish Dictionary F Collins W.:. 9ine F :xpository Dictionary of >ew Testament Words (trong*s :nhanced Cexicon

7or the Co(puter

:xpositor*s Bible Commentary on CD 5<2 F Eondervan Cogos Bible (oftware >ew 6nternational Dictionary of >ew Testament Theology F edited by Colin Brown F Eondervan
1997-2004, Wycliffe Associates (UK) This publicatio is !"itte i #asy# $lish %e&el ' (2(00 !o")s)* +a"ch 2004 ,isit ou" !ebsite- !!!*easye $lish*i fo