A Torah Verse By Verse Commentary Of Paul's Epistles by Re'tzon Ha'El - HTML preview

Introduction

This very personal epistle to one of Paul’s favoured proteges,Titus, requests for this gallant saint to carry out a vastly weighty mission, requiring a highly mature, disciplined, faithful, resolute individual to accomplish. These qualities desired of him give the impression that Titus was considered of higher ranking in leadership than Timothy, possibly due to more experience in the field that came with age.

Titus was tasked with containing the disorder and dissent within the large number of assemblies scattered across Crete, which was not only caused by a lack of ordained leadership, but was compounded by the self-elected, bigoted Jews, who touted their ethnicity as deeming them superior to the Gentile believers within the ecclesia. Crete additionally had the unenviable reputation of being an idle, gluttonous, loveless nation. These rogue bourgeoisie elements further used artifice to hornswoggle money off the spiritually vulnerable prey amongst the leaderless masses, and perpetuated the pharisaic traditions of men which Yeshua loathed. The same prescription for appointing elders within the assemblies as that mentioned in Paul’s first epistle to Timothy, was to be employed. 

Of special note is the repetition by Paul of Yeshua’s divinity whereby he refers to the Messiah as Elohim and Saviour, interchanging this appellation with that of Yehovah the Father within the same epistle on several occasions. Titus is commissioned by Paul to task the elderly men and women within the assemblies, with the duty of teaching the young men and women good values, exemplified by their conduct in obedience to the laws of Elohim. Even servants are to be exhorted to follow the rest of the body of Messiah in being excellent ambassadors, never giving room for dishonour to be associated with His name. Such demonstration of good conversation and deeds, would ensure that Messiah would gather a worthy flock at His second advent, to be purified as a spotless presentation for the Father in Heaven. Titus was instructed to severely admonish any form of rebellion and wickedness found within the assemblies.

Obedience to the elders and authorities instituted within the assemblies was to be instilled within the congregants, as were good deeds and abstinence from evil intentions and words. Furthermore, the sinful culture of traditions of men and quibbling and quarrelling over vanity entrenched within this Babylonian Judaism, was to be rooted out of the ecclesia. Contentious, prevaricating individuals of this nature, fomenting heresies and planting seeds of discord, were to be excommunicated, if after a second warning they refused to repent of their ways.

In closing Paul gives Titus personal instructions regarding communicating with specially mentioned saints, and sends his greetings, love and favour upon them.