# Titus 01 📖: Leaders for the Churches of Crete
[[📚 Explore the Bible Books]]
[[-Titus Overview]] | [[2 Timothy 04]] | [[Titus 02]]
> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]]
> [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application]]
> [[#💬 Discussion Questions]]
> [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#🔗 Related Passages]]
> [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#📂 Internal Notes]]
## 📜 Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
### Salutation
**Principle**: Truth brings confidence.
[[#Verse 01.]] From Paul, a slave of ==🔵God== and apostle of ==🔵Jesus Christ==, to further the faith of God’s chosen ones and the knowledge of the truth that is in keeping with godliness,
[[#Verse 02.]] in hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before time began.
[[#Verse 03.]] But now in his own time he has made his message evident through the preaching I was entrusted with according to the command of God our Savior.
[[#Verse 04.]] To Titus, my genuine son in a common faith. Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior!
### Titus’ Task on Crete
**Principle**: Leading others- high and costly calling.
[[#Verse 05.]] The reason I left you in Crete was to set in order the remaining matters and to appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.
[[#Verse 06.]] An elder must be blameless, the husband of one wife, with faithful children who cannot be charged with dissipation or rebellion.
[[#Verse 07.]] For the overseer must be blameless as one entrusted with God’s work, not arrogant, not prone to anger, not a drunkard, not violent, not greedy for gain.
[[#Verse 08.]] Instead he must be hospitable, devoted to what is good, sensible, upright, devout, and self-controlled.
[[#Verse 09.]] He must hold firmly to the faithful message as it has been taught, so that he will be able to give exhortation in such healthy teaching and correct those who speak against it.
[[#Verse 10.]] For there are many rebellious people, idle talkers, and deceivers, especially those with Jewish connections,
[[#Verse 11.]] who must be silenced because they mislead whole families by teaching for dishonest gain what ought not to be taught.
[[#Verse 12.]] A certain one of them, in fact, one of their own prophets, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”
[[#Verse 13.]] Such testimony is true. For this reason rebuke them sharply that they may be healthy in the faith
[[#Verse 14.]] and not pay attention to Jewish myths and commands of people who reject the truth.
[[#Verse 15.]] All is pure to those who are pure. But to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their minds and consciences are corrupted.
[[#Verse 16.]] They profess to know God but with their deeds they deny him, since they are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.
## 📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. Crete is a large island south of Greece. Paul's ship sailed along its coast on the way to Rome (Acts 27:7-13).
2. People from Crete were present at Pentecost (Acts 2:11).
3. Titus was a Greek believer (Galatians 2:3) and a trusted coworker whom Paul sent to Corinth (2 Corinthians 8:23).
4. The saying "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons" (1:12) is usually credited to Epimenides, a Cretan poet.
5. The Greeks even had a verb, "to Cretanize," meaning to lie.
6. Cretans claimed the tomb of Zeus was on their island, which other Greeks considered a lie since they believed Zeus was immortal.
7. Paul describes God as the One "who does not lie" (1:2), a sharp contrast with Crete's reputation.
8. Paul uses "elder" (1:5) and "overseer" (1:7) for the same leaders.
9. "Those with Jewish connections" (1:10) were false teachers promoting Jewish myths and rules (1:14).
10. Titus is never named in the book of Acts, though he appears in several of Paul's letters.
## 🧠 Chapter Summary
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter
Christ is our Savior, through whom God's promise of eternal life, made before time began, has been revealed (1:2-4). Eternal life is knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent (John 17:3).
## 🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## 💬 Discussion Questions
1. Paul left Titus in Crete to set things in order and appoint elders (1:5). Why does a healthy church need godly leaders?
2. An elder must hold firmly to the faithful message to encourage and to refute (1:9). How do we hold truth with both conviction and grace?
3. Some profess to know God but deny Him by their deeds (1:16). Where do your words and actions need to line up?
## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember
- 📖 verses 1-2: Paul serves for the faith of God's chosen ones and the hope of eternal life promised before time began.
- 📖 verses 5-9: Elders must be blameless, hospitable, self-controlled, and devoted to the faithful message.
- 📖 verse 15: All is pure to those who are pure.
- 📖 verse 16: They profess to know God but deny Him by their deeds.
## 🔗 Related Passages
- 🔗 [[1 Timothy 03#Verse 02.|1 Timothy 3:2-7]] - Qualifications for overseers.
- 🔗 [[Acts 02#Verse 11.|Acts 2:11]] - Cretans at Pentecost.
- 🔗 [[Galatians 02#Verse 03.|Galatians 2:3]] - Titus, a Greek.
- 🔗 [[Numbers 23#Verse 19.|Numbers 23:19]] - God is not a man that He should lie.
- 🔗 [[Mark 07#Verse 15.|Mark 7:15]] - What defiles comes from within.
- 🔗 [[James 02#Verse 17.|James 2:17]] - Faith without works is dead.
## 🙏 Devotional Reflection
📝 SOAP: [[Titus 01 - SOAP|Follow God By How We Live]]
## 📂 Internal Notes