Contents
Introduction....................................................................................................................................1
Summary........................................................................................................................................1
Application.....................................................................................................................................3
Bibliography...................................................................................................................................5
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Introduction
There have been many unique individuals within the Bible who have had a tremendous
impact on Christianity as we know it today. One of the most impactful people in the Bible, who
is second only to Jesus in terms of importance and influence within the New Testament, is the
Apostle Paul. The Apostle Paul is responsible for about thirteen or fourteen of the twenty-seven
books within the New Testament. Paul’s writings have influenced Christianity heavily
throughout the centuries and still today, impact the church in a variety of ways. Paul’s theology
throughout his numerous letters have been deconstructed and studied for centuries and are
considered foundational texts for Christian theology. The Epistle of Paul to Titus is the shortest
letter that Paul wrote (that we know of). However, even though the book of Titus is extremely
short compared to the others, there is still a metanarrative to this book that must be explored, and
that metanarrative is Soteriology, which is considered the doctrine of salvation.
Summary
Paul had a ministry that ensured he was not in a certain place for very long. Dr. Stacy refers to
this as Paul establishing churches in a “Holy hurry.”1 Paul established many churches during his
travels throughout the region. The epistle of Paul to Titus is only three chapters long in length. In
those three chapters, Paul tells Titus the qualities that an Elder in the church must possess.
Because Paul traveled so frequently, it is plausible that Paul did not have the time to establish
good and respectable elders in the church before he left Crete. In Chapter one, Paul gives Titus
several qualifications in what to look for when selecting elders/bishops for the church. These
qualities include being blameless, having one wife, having good and faithful children, not quick-
1 Robert Wayne Stacy "The Theological Metanarrative of Paul’s Thought" (Video
lecture in NBST 520 at Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA, July 16, 2022)
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tempered, not a drunkard, non-violent, not greedy and Holy and just among other qualities (Titus
1:5-10). Paul does not say that these elders/bishops should act in this manner to be saved. What
Paul is saying is that these elders who Titus will choose are saved through grace by God and that
to lead several different churches within the region, they must show that grace in how they live
their lives as leaders of the church. Paul ends this chapter by telling Titus to ensure the elders of
the church are not like Cretans who claim to know God with their words but act sinfully with
their deeds (Titus 1:16).
In Chapter two of Titus, Paul outlines the qualities of a sound church. Paul tells Titus that older
men in the church must be reverent, sober, sound in faith, temperate and have patience. The older
woman of the church should be reverent in behavior, good teachers, not drunkards and should
teach the younger woman how to be good wives who respect their husbands and raise their
children with respect and humility (Titus 2:1-6). The younger men should also be sober-minded,
show good works, having integrity, reverence, having sound speech and having incorruptibility.
Paul tells the bondservants to be obedient towards their master’s as well (Titus 2:9). Paul tells
Titus in verse eleven that “the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men (Titus
2:11).” Paul makes it crystal clear that the salvation that men receive from God is a gift given
from grace alone. It is not something that can be earned through good works or charity. Because
of this grace we have received from God, Paul let’s Titus know that it is his responsibility to not
be like the heathens, but to instead remain holy and righteous in all the things that they do. Paul
ends the second chapter by openly recognizing Jesus Christ as God and Savior of the world and
that though Him, we are purified (Titus 2:13-14). Elwell and Yarbrough explain that “Paul and
Jesus are not identical in either their words or their work, but they are wonderfully
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complementary.”2 This distinction is important as Paul recognizes Christ as the one true savior of
humanity but makes it better accessible to a more gentile audience.
Paul ends this Epistle to Titus by reminding Titus that he and other believers are heirs to grace.
Paul reminds Titus to ensure believers in Crete obey the authorities, to speak evil of no one, to be
gentle and to show humility to everyone. Paul reminds Titus that they were all sinners who were
disobedient and foolish before the kindness and love of God the Savior appeared before all men
in the form of Jesus Christ. Paul reminds Titus that it is not by works they are saved but instead it
is through mercy (Titus 3:1-7). Paul tells Titus to ensure that they avoid dissension and foolish
disputes at all costs. As the church would continue to grow, it is easy to understand why Paul
would say this to Titus.
Application
The metanarrative behind many of Paul’s writings was that as the church was continuing to
grow, there were many who did not know how to live their lives to the glory of God. There was
no Bible back then as it exists today; so, the letters that Paul wrote were meant to give guidance
on how believers should live in the world as it was during that time. Even over two thousand
years later, Paul’s writings are still important to Christians all over the world. Even though the
Epistle to Titus is one of the shortest books in the Bible, it still teaches us many lessons that are
still applicable in today’s world.
In Chapter three, Paul tells Titus to avoid major dissension within the church. Even though
the church was nowhere near the size of what it is today, Paul still felt it was necessary to tell
Titus this because these churches were growing in number, and in some cases, very rapidly.
2 Walter A. Elwell and Robert W. Yarbrough, Encountering the New Testament: A Historical and
Theological Survey, Third Edition., Encountering Biblical Studies (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2013), 240.
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There are several different denominations within the church today. While it is understandable to
have differing opinions on certain subjects within the church, different denominations have
literally been formed because of these disagreements and dissensions. It is possible that if Paul
were alive today, perhaps he would think that the church is too divided today based on the
number of different denominations today.
It is important for us to remember that before we were saved, we were foolish and ignorant
sinners who disobeyed God and fulfilled the desires of the flesh above all else. Paul reminds
Titus that no matter how holy or righteous he may become, he must never forget who he was
before he encountered God’s grace and mercy. Christians today must understand that important
lesson as well. No Christian that has ever existed, has been saved because of their own works.
Instead, it is through the grace of God that each of us have been given salvation that came at no
cost to us but instead, at the cost of Jesus Christ, the only true and living Son of God.
The qualities that Paul listed to Titus about how believers should act are still important to
believers today. Paul also gives the qualities that elders/bishops within the church must also
have. These are all important as strong leaders in the church are needed today more than ever.
The world has gotten worse in many recent years and will only continue to get worse. The
church needs very spiritually strong and courageous leaders that help to lead followers of Christ
in the right direction. All of Paul’s letters were important, and without them, the church today
would be far worse off. Even though these Epistles were written over two thousand years ago,
they still teach us many important lessons that we can still apply to our lives today.
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Bibliography
Elwell, Walter A., and Robert W. Yarbrough.BEncountering the New Testament: A Historical
and Theological Survey. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2022
Stacy, Wayne. “The Theological Metanarrative of Paul’s Thought” Video lecture in NBST 520
at Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA, July 16, 2022
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