Keraia
Titus 1

Titus 1:5

Appointing Elders on Crete · Titus 1:5–9
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Translations

Modern
The reason I left you in Crete was that you would set in order what was unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.
Traditional
For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
Literal
For the sake of this I left you in Crete, that you might set in order the things lacking and might appoint elders in every city, as I directed you,
Latin
Hujus rei gratia reliqui te Cretæ, ut ea quæ desunt, corrigas, et constituas per civitates presbyteros, sicut et ego disposui tibi,

Original

Greek
English
The reason I left you in Crete was that you would set in order what was unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.

Notes

Titus 1:5

  • Crete was located in the Mediterranean, south of the Aegean Sea. It was an important location for travel and trade by sea, so it had a mix of influences, including a Jewish population. Some from Crete had been at Pentecost (Acts 2:11), but this letter seems to deal with a church in the early stages of development.

  • elders in every town: There may have been more than one house church in a given town and possibly more than one elder in a given house church. Clearly, there were churches in at least two towns and the leadership was specific to each town.

Titus 1:5–9

  • Titus was instructed to appoint leaders in order to complete what was unfinished—that is, to establish the church (compare 1 Timothy 3:1–13). Deacons are not mentioned, possibly because these were new, small churches.

  • These leadership qualities might be an accommodation to the newness of these converts and the roughness of their culture. It is assumed that the elders will be male (see 1 Timothy 3:4–5).

Titus 1:5–16

Strong, faithful leadership was needed in the churches of Crete to address the danger of false teachers (1:10–16). This part of Titus’s task coincides with the larger concern of the letter: to shape a community that bears witness to Christ by embodying God’s grace in its conduct. Compare 1 Timothy 3:1–7.

Theme notes and profiles

Paul (Saul) Church Leaders

Parallels

1 Timothy 3:1–7 1 Peter 5:1–4

Places

Caphtor: Island home of the Philistines; visited by Paul

Glossary

Bishop Church Meetings Crete Elder Nicopolis Ordain, Ordination Pastor Paul the Apostle Presbyter Timothy, First Letter to Titus (Person) Titus, Letter to

Topics

Administration Bishop: (An Overseer, a Supervisor) Christian Minister: Character and Attributes of Christian Minister: Marriage of Church Growth Church Leaders Church: Government of, Mosaic and Christian Commandments: Precepts of Paul--Explicitly Stated or Implied in Didactic Epistles Crete: Visited by Titus Discipline of the Church: Consists in Ordering Its Affairs Elder in the Christian Church Elders Elders and Deacons Elders in the Church Keeping Order Ministers: Faithful: Titus Order Order in the Church Ordination Qualifications of Elders Titus: Left by Paul in Crete