Titus 1:5 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Titus 1:5.— Before he proceeds to the principal design of this epistle, the apostle briefly reminds Titus of his leaving him in Crete, to settle the churches which he had planted there, and to ordain elders in every city, to be bishops over the several churches. After this he describes the characters of such as he was to ordain; namely, that they should be men of integrity, and of an unspotted reputation; and particularly such as understood the liberty of the Gentile Christians; and that would oppose the Judaizers; who were bad men, and very industrious in making proselytes, Titus 1:5-16. It is well known that the word πολις, rendered city, frequently signifies a country town only, and sometimes a village. Crete had formerly been famous for having a hundred cities; but Pliny, who wrote not long after the sending of this epistle to Titus, found only forty cities there, and the bare memory of sixty more; and most of these forty called cities, were little better than villages. Strabo says, that Crete had many cities, but only three of any great note.