Itty Bitty Bible Study – Titus 1:3-5 Who, What, Why, Where and Peace

My thoughts for the Itty Bitty Bible Study group on Facebook. (join if you’d like to get these in fb!)

Titus 1 verses 3 through 5
I utilize various resources to research and study these Itty Bitty Bible Studies.
This time, for Titus, I hooked up with Keith Loy’s Celebrate Titus on RightNow Media.  RightNow Media is a subscription for everyone in a church. 
If you don’t have RightNow Media on your computer or TV streaming channels, the  Celebrate Titus dvd is available. I don’t know if it’s more or less information.

I am not an Amazon associate, so I don’t get anything out of sharing this! I will let you know that I will be quoting him!

 

Titus 1:3-5 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
3 In His own time He has revealed His message in the proclamation that I was entrusted with by the command of God our Savior:

4 To Titus, my true son in our common faith.

Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

Titus’s Ministry in Crete
5 The reason I left you in Crete was to set right what was left undone and, as I directed you, to appoint elders in every town:

Let’s break these down quickly.

Who was Paul?

Titus 1: 3 In His own time He has revealed His message in the proclamation that I was entrusted with by the command of God our Savior:

Paul didn’t walk with Jesus.
He seems to feel like he is an apostle out of his time.
Jesus revealed his message to him, specifically, and called Him personally.

Acts 9:1-9
2 Corinthians 12
In IBBS Galatians 1:1-10, I talked about Paul defending his apostleship.
He begins many of his letters with just such defense. It’s as if he’s listing his qualifications as an apostle.

Titus 1:4 To Titus, my true son in our common faith.

Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

Who was Titus?
Wikipedia has a great summary about Titus, Saint Titus, verses Titus the Roman Emperor.
The international Bible Society gives some information on Titus in it’s intro to Titus.
Christianity Today gives a bit of the Bible Timeline history of Titus.

Apparently, he was someone Paul led to Christ.
Apparently, he was called into the ministry, and served with Paul.
Apparently, he was sent out to minister to Crete, and this is where this letter comes in.

When was this?
From the International Bible Society:

Paul possibly wrote from Macedonia, for he had not yet reached Nicopolis (see 3:12). The letter was written after he was released from his first Roman imprisonment (Acts 28), probably between a.d. 63 and 65 (see chart, p. 2261)—or possibly at a later date if he wrote after his assumed trip to Spain.

Why?

Titus 1:5 The reason I left you in Crete was to set right what was left undone and, as I directed you, to appoint elders in every town:

To complete a work.
To appoint elders.
Next time, I’ll talk about the importance of elders, and watchmen and overseers for the body of Christ, or God’s people, since it starts back with Moses, but for right now, this is the purpose.

Did you notice I skipped something?

Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

Romans 1:7 KJV
To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Galatians 1:3 KJV
Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

For more: IBBS Galatians 1:1-10

Ephesians 1:2 KJV
Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

For More: IBBS Ephesians Intro, 1:1-2

Philippians 1:2 KJV
Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

For more: IBBS Phillipians 1:1-2

Colosians 1:2 KJV
To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The BibleHub has quite a collection of cross references for Grace and Peace based on the verse Romans 1:7

It’s as if this is a theme to Paul! A constant Prayer.
Grace…
Peace…

Numbers 6:24-26 King James Version (KJV)
24 The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:
25 The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
26 The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

Ephesians 2:8-9 King James Version (KJV)
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Philippians 4:7 King James Version (KJV)
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

And then, Faith….

Hebrews 11:1 King James Version (KJV)
11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:6 King James Version (KJV)
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Is he praying for our salvation? I don’t know…but I’ll take all the grace, mercy, peace, faith and love that I can get. What about you?

Ah, there’s the Where!
Crete…Greece. Preaching to the gentiles!

Next – the requirements for being an elder…you might be surprised at my take on this!

Hi!
My hope in the midst of despair and my joy in the face of depression is because of my relationship with Jesus Christ. If you do not have one, or are not sure you will join him in heaven, please check out these links.

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

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