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Titus 1:5-8 open_in_new
SECTION 1. Titus Must Set The Churches of Crete On The Right Path In the Light Of the False Teachers Who Are There (Titus 1:5 to Titus 2:8).
In this section Titus learns that he must appoint elders, ensure that the church receive sound doctrine, warn them against false teaching, and require of them true Christian living. The fact that elders needed to be appointed points to a church which was growing throughout the island.
Overall Analysis
a Titus is to set things in order and appoint elders in every city (Titus 1:5).
b The moral requirements for elder/bishops (Titus 1:6-8),
c The need to hold 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).
d The false teachers, ‘many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially they of the circumcision, who are mercenary and whose mouths must be stopped (Titus 1:10-11).
e “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, idle gluttons”, so that the Christians must purify themselves from such behaviour by being sound in what their faith requires of them and by not being like them (Titus 1:12-13).
f They must not give heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men who turn away from the truth (Titus 1:14).
e The pure are compared with the impure, the former being pure, the latter defiled (Titus 1:15).
d Some profess to know God, but by their works they deny him and are abominable and disobedient (Titus 1:16).
c Titus is to speak the things which befit the sound doctrine (Titus 2:1).
b The moral requirements for all believers, male and female, young and old (Titus 2:2-6).
a In everything Titus is to show himself an example of good works, showing uncorruptness, gravity, sound speech which cannot be condemned as regards his doctrine so as to shame any detractors (Titus 2:7-8).
Note that in ‘a' Timothy is to set things right, and appoint elders, and in the parallel he is to show himself a good example in behaviour and words. In ‘b' we are given the moral requirements for elders/bishops, and in the parallel the moral requirements for the church members (compare the similar pattern in 1 Timothy). In ‘c' he must ensure that he preaches sound doctrine, and in the parallel the same applies. In ‘d' he warns against false teachers who are also mercenary, and in the parallel he warns against who reveal themselves to be abominable and disobedient. In ‘e' the Christians are to purify themselves from the behaviour of ordinary Cretans, and in the parallel the pure are compared with the defiled. In ‘f' they are not to take heed to false preachers.