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{{Short description|Book of the New Testament}}
{{Short description|Book of the New Testament}}
[[File:P032-Tit-1 11-15-II.jpg|thumb|Titus 1:11–15 on [[Papyrus 32]] (''recto''; {{Circa|AD 200}})<ref>{{Cite book |last=Aland |first=Kurt |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2pYDsAhUOxAC |title=The Text of the New Testament: An Introduction to the Critical Editions and to the Theory and Practice of Modern Textual Criticism |last2=Aland |first2=Barbara |publisher=[[William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company|Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.]] |year=1995 |isbn=978-0-8028-4098-1 |edition=2nd |location=Grand Rapids, MI |pages=159 |language=en |translator-last=Rhodes |translator-first=Erroll F. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231005232815/https://books.google.com/books?id=2pYDsAhUOxAC |archive-date=October 5, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref>]]
[[File:Manchester, John Rylands University Library Ms Gr. P 5 (Papyrus 32) recto Titus 1, 11-15.jpg|thumb|Titus 1:11–15 on [[Papyrus 32]] (''recto''; {{Circa|AD 200}})<ref>{{Cite book |last=Aland |first=Kurt |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2pYDsAhUOxAC |title=The Text of the New Testament: An Introduction to the Critical Editions and to the Theory and Practice of Modern Textual Criticism |last2=Aland |first2=Barbara |publisher=[[William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company|Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.]] |year=1995 |isbn=978-0-8028-4098-1 |edition=2nd |location=Grand Rapids, MI |pages=159 |language=en |translator-last=Rhodes |translator-first=Erroll F. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231005232815/https://books.google.com/books?id=2pYDsAhUOxAC |archive-date=October 5, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref>]]
{{Books of the New Testament}}
{{Books of the New Testament}}
{{Paul}}
{{Paul}}


The '''Epistle to Titus'''{{Efn|The book is sometimes called the '''Letter of Paul to Titus''', or simply '''Titus'''<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HiPouAEACAAJ |title=ESV Pew Bible |publisher=Crossway |year=2018 |isbn=978-1-4335-6343-0 |location=Wheaton, IL |pages=998 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603093159/https://www.google.com/books/edition/ESV_Pew_Bible_Black/HiPouAEACAAJ |archive-date=June 3, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> (which is also its most common form of abbreviation).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bible Book Abbreviations |url=https://www.logos.com/bible-book-abbreviations |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421100743/https://www.logos.com/bible-book-abbreviations |archive-date=April 21, 2022 |access-date=April 21, 2022 |website=Logos Bible Software}}</ref>}} is one of the three [[pastoral epistles]] (along with [[First Epistle to Timothy|1 Timothy]] and [[Second Epistle to Timothy|2 Timothy]]) in the [[New Testament]], historically attributed to [[Paul the Apostle]].<ref name=EB1911>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Titus, The Epistle to |volume=26 |pages=1031–1032 |first=James |last=Moffatt |author-link=James Moffatt}}</ref> It is addressed to [[Saint Titus]]<ref name=EB1911/> and describes the requirements and duties of [[presbyter]]s/[[bishop]]s.<ref name ="Harris">[[Stephen L Harris|Harris, Stephen L.]], ''Understanding the Bible''. Palo Alto: Mayfield. 1985.</ref>
The '''Epistle to Titus'''{{Efn|The book is sometimes called the '''Letter of Paul to Titus''', or simply '''Titus'''<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HiPouAEACAAJ |title=ESV Pew Bible |publisher=Crossway |year=2018 |isbn=978-1-4335-6343-0 |location=Wheaton, IL |pages=998 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603093159/https://www.google.com/books/edition/ESV_Pew_Bible_Black/HiPouAEACAAJ |archive-date=June 3, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> (which is also its most common form of abbreviation).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bible Book Abbreviations |url=https://www.logos.com/bible-book-abbreviations |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421100743/https://www.logos.com/bible-book-abbreviations |archive-date=April 21, 2022 |access-date=April 21, 2022 |website=Logos Bible Software}}</ref>}} is one of the three [[pastoral epistles]] (along with [[First Epistle to Timothy|1 Timothy]] and [[Second Epistle to Timothy|2 Timothy]]) in the [[New Testament]], historically attributed to [[Paul the Apostle]]. It is addressed to [[Saint Titus]] and describes the requirements and duties of [[presbyter]]s/[[bishop]]s.


==Text==
==Text==
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==Recipient==
==Recipient==
Not mentioned in the [[Acts of the Apostles]], [[Saint Titus]] was noted in [[Epistle to the Galatians|Galatians]] (cf. Galatians 2:1, 3)<ref>{{bibleverse|Galatians|2:1–3}}</ref> where Paul wrote of journeying to Jerusalem with [[Barnabas]], accompanied by Titus. He was then dispatched to [[Corinth]], Greece, where he successfully reconciled the Christian community there with Paul, its founder. Titus was later left on the island of [[Crete]] to help organize the Church there, and later met back with the Apostle Paul in [[Nicopolis]]. He soon went to [[Dalmatia (Roman province)|Dalmatia]] (now Croatia). According to [[Eusebius]] of [[Caesarea Maritima|Caesarea]] in the [[Church History (Eusebius)|''Ecclesiastical History'']], he served as the first bishop of Crete.<ref>[[Eusebius]], ''[https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/250103.htm Church History]'' III.4</ref> He was buried in Cortyna ([[Gortyn|Gortyna]]), Crete; his head was later removed to Venice, Italy during the invasion of Crete by the [[Saracens]] in 832 and was enshrined in [[St Mark's Basilica]], Venice, Italy.{{Citation needed|date=August 2013}}
Not mentioned in the [[Acts of the Apostles]], [[Saint Titus]] was noted in [[Epistle to the Galatians|Galatians]] (cf. Galatians 2:1, 3)<ref>{{bibleverse|Galatians|2:1–3}}</ref> where Paul wrote of journeying to Jerusalem with [[Barnabas]], accompanied by Titus. He was then dispatched to [[Corinth]], Greece, where he successfully reconciled the Christian community there with Paul, its founder. Titus was later left on the island of [[Crete]] to help organize the Church there, and later met back with the Apostle Paul in [[Nicopolis]]. He soon went to [[Dalmatia (Roman province)|Dalmatia]] (now Croatia). According to [[Eusebius]] of [[Caesarea Maritima|Caesarea]] in the [[Church History (Eusebius)|''Ecclesiastical History'']], he served as the first bishop of Crete.<ref>[[Eusebius]], ''[https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/250103.htm Church History]'' III.4</ref>


==Authenticity==
==Authenticity==
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===Opposition to Pauline authenticity===
===Opposition to Pauline authenticity===
Titus, along with the two other [[pastoral epistles]] ([[First Epistle to Timothy|1 Timothy]] and [[Second Epistle to Timothy|2 Timothy]]), is regarded by some scholars as being [[Pseudepigraphy|pseudepigraphical]].<ref name="forged">{{cite book|last=Ehrman|first=Bart|title=Forged|url=https://archive.org/details/forgedwritinginn00ehrm|url-access=registration|date=2011|publisher=HarperOne|isbn=978-006-201262-3|pages=[https://archive.org/details/forgedwritinginn00ehrm/page/93 93–105]}}</ref> On the basis of the language and content of the pastoral epistles, these scholars reject that they were written by Paul and believe that they were written by an anonymous forger after his death. Critics claim the vocabulary and style of the Pauline letters could not have been written by Paul according to available biographical information and reflect the views of the emerging Church rather than the apostle's. These scholars date the epistle from the 80s CE up to the end of the 2nd century, though most would place it sometime between 80 and 100 CE.<ref>[[Raymond E. Brown]]. ''An Introduction to the New Testament''. New York: Anchor Bible, p. 662, 668.</ref> The [[Church of England]]'s [[Common Worship|Common Worship Lectionary Scripture Commentary]] concurs with this view: "the proportioning of the theological and practical themes is one factor that leads us to think of these writings as coming from the post-Pauline church world of the late first or early second century".<ref>{{cite book|last=Houlden and Rogerson|title=Common Worship Lectionary: a Scriptures Commentary|year=2001|publisher=SPCK|location=London|page=18}}</ref>
Titus, along with the two other [[pastoral epistles]] ([[First Epistle to Timothy|1 Timothy]] and [[Second Epistle to Timothy|2 Timothy]]), is regarded by some scholars as being [[Pseudepigraphy|pseudepigraphical]].<ref name="forged">{{cite book|last=Ehrman|first=Bart|title=Forged|url=https://archive.org/details/forgedwritinginn00ehrm|url-access=registration|date=2011|publisher=HarperOne|isbn=978-006-201262-3|pages=[https://archive.org/details/forgedwritinginn00ehrm/page/93 93–105]}}</ref> On the basis of the language and content of the pastoral epistles, these scholars reject that they were written by Paul and believe that they were written by an anonymous forger after his death. Critics claim the vocabulary and style of the Pauline letters could not have been written by Paul according to available biographical information and reflect the views of the emerging Church rather than the apostle's. These scholars date the epistle from the 80s AD up to the end of the 2nd century, though most would place it sometime between 80 and 100 AD.<ref>[[Raymond E. Brown]]. ''An Introduction to the New Testament''. New York: Anchor Bible, p. 662, 668.</ref> The [[Church of England]]'s [[Common Worship|Common Worship Lectionary Scripture Commentary]] concurs with this view: "the proportioning of the theological and practical themes is one factor that leads us to think of these writings as coming from the post-Pauline church world of the late first or early second century".<ref>{{cite book|last=Houlden and Rogerson|title=Common Worship Lectionary: a Scriptures Commentary|year=2001|publisher=SPCK|location=London|page=18}}</ref>


Titus has a very close affinity with [[First Epistle to Timothy|1 Timothy]], sharing similar phrases and expressions and similar subject matter.<ref>[[William Paley]] ''Horae Paulinae'' (1785)</ref><ref>[[Bart D. Ehrman]]. ''The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings'' 3rd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004. pp. 385ff</ref> This has led many scholars to believe that it was written by the same author who wrote 1 and 2 Timothy: their author is sometimes referred to as "the Pastor".<ref name =HarrisPastoral>[[Stephen L Harris|Harris, Stephen L.]], Understanding the Bible. Palo Alto: Mayfield. 1985, "The Pastoral Epistles", pp.&nbsp;340–345</ref>
Titus has a very close affinity with [[First Epistle to Timothy|1 Timothy]], sharing similar phrases and expressions and similar subject matter.<ref>[[William Paley]] ''Horae Paulinae'' (1785)</ref><ref>[[Bart D. Ehrman]]. ''The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings'' 3rd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004. pp. 385ff</ref> This has led many scholars to believe that it was written by the same author who wrote 1 and 2 Timothy: their author is sometimes referred to as "the Pastor".<ref name =HarrisPastoral>[[Stephen L Harris|Harris, Stephen L.]], Understanding the Bible. Palo Alto: Mayfield. 1985, "The Pastoral Epistles", pp.&nbsp;340–345</ref>
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===Traditional view: Pauline authenticity===
===Traditional view: Pauline authenticity===
Other scholars who do believe that Paul wrote Titus date its composition from the circumstance that it was written after Paul's visit to [[Crete]] (Titus 1:5).<ref>{{bibleverse|Titus|1:5}}</ref> This visit could not be the one referred to in the [[Acts of the Apostles]] 27:7,<ref>{{bibleverse|Acts|27:7}}</ref> when Paul was on his voyage to Rome as a prisoner, and where he continued a prisoner for two years. Thus traditional [[exegesis]] supposes that after his release Paul sailed from Rome into Asia, passing Crete by the way, and that there he left [[Titus]] "to set in order the things that were wanting". Thence he would have gone to [[Ephesus]], where he left Timothy, and from Ephesus to [[Macedonia (Roman province)|Macedonia]], where he wrote the First Epistle to Timothy, and thence, according to the subscription of this epistle, to "Nicopolis of Macedonia",{{efn|"It was written to Titus, ordained the first bishop of the church of the Cretians, from Nicopolis of Macedonia."—[[Authorized Version]] subscription after Titus 3:15
* Note: Sources{{which|date=January 2023}} that say [[Nicopolis]] was in [[Epirus]] are technically correct, but Epirus had become part of [[Macedonia (Roman province)]] in 146 BCE. In 110 CE under Trajan it became a province in its own right, separate from Macedonia and Achaia. The expression "Nicopolis of Macedonia" in Paul's timeframe is valid.}} from which place he wrote to Titus, about 66 or 67.
[[File:Minuscule 699 GA folio 41v.jpg|thumb|The first page of the epistle in [[Minuscule 699]] gives its title as {{lang|grc|'προς τιτον}}, 'To Titus.']]
[[File:Minuscule 699 GA folio 41v.jpg|thumb|The first page of the epistle in [[Minuscule 699]] gives its title as {{lang|grc|'προς τιτον}}, 'To Titus.']]


Latest revision as of 10:06, 18 October 2025

Template:Short description

File:Manchester, John Rylands University Library Ms Gr. P 5 (Papyrus 32) recto Titus 1, 11-15.jpg
Titus 1:11–15 on Papyrus 32 (recto; Template:Circa)[1]

Template:Sidebar with collapsible lists Template:Paul

The Epistle to TitusTemplate:Efn is one of the three pastoral epistles (along with 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy) in the New Testament, historically attributed to Paul the Apostle. It is addressed to Saint Titus and describes the requirements and duties of presbyters/bishops.

Text

The epistle is divided into three chapters, 46 verses in total.[2]

Recipient

Not mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, Saint Titus was noted in Galatians (cf. Galatians 2:1, 3)[3] where Paul wrote of journeying to Jerusalem with Barnabas, accompanied by Titus. He was then dispatched to Corinth, Greece, where he successfully reconciled the Christian community there with Paul, its founder. Titus was later left on the island of Crete to help organize the Church there, and later met back with the Apostle Paul in Nicopolis. He soon went to Dalmatia (now Croatia). According to Eusebius of Caesarea in the Ecclesiastical History, he served as the first bishop of Crete.[4]

Authenticity

Script error: No such module "labelled list hatnote". According to Clare Drury, the claim that Paul himself wrote this letter and those to Timothy "seems at first sight obvious and incontrovertible. All three begin with a greeting from the apostle and contain personal notes and asides", but in reality "things are not so straightforward: signs of the late date of the letters proliferate".[5] There has therefore been some debate regarding the authenticity of the letter.

Opposition to Pauline authenticity

Titus, along with the two other pastoral epistles (1 Timothy and 2 Timothy), is regarded by some scholars as being pseudepigraphical.[6] On the basis of the language and content of the pastoral epistles, these scholars reject that they were written by Paul and believe that they were written by an anonymous forger after his death. Critics claim the vocabulary and style of the Pauline letters could not have been written by Paul according to available biographical information and reflect the views of the emerging Church rather than the apostle's. These scholars date the epistle from the 80s AD up to the end of the 2nd century, though most would place it sometime between 80 and 100 AD.[7] The Church of England's Common Worship Lectionary Scripture Commentary concurs with this view: "the proportioning of the theological and practical themes is one factor that leads us to think of these writings as coming from the post-Pauline church world of the late first or early second century".[8]

Titus has a very close affinity with 1 Timothy, sharing similar phrases and expressions and similar subject matter.[9][10] This has led many scholars to believe that it was written by the same author who wrote 1 and 2 Timothy: their author is sometimes referred to as "the Pastor".[11]

The gnostic writer Basilides rejected the epistle.[12]

Traditional view: Pauline authenticity

File:Minuscule 699 GA folio 41v.jpg
The first page of the epistle in Minuscule 699 gives its title as Script error: No such module "Lang"., 'To Titus.'

Recent scholarship has revived the theory that Paul used an amanuensis, or secretaries, in writing his letters (e.g. Romans 16:22),[13] but possibly Luke for the pastorals.[14][15] This was a common practice in ancient letter writing, even for the biblical writers.[16][17]

Epimenides paradox

One of the secular peculiarities of the Epistle to Titus is the reference to the Epimenides paradox: "One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, 'Cretans are always liars'."[18]

See also

Notes

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References

Template:Reflist

Sources

  • Wikisource This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Script error: No such module "template wrapper".

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External links

Online translations of the Epistle to Titus:

Exegetical papers on Titus:

Template:S-endTemplate:Epistle to TitusTemplate:Books of the BibleTemplate:Authority control
Epistle to Titus
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check New Testament
Books of the Bible Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ Script error: No such module "Bibleverse".
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "Bibleverse".
  4. ↑ Eusebius, Church History III.4
  5. ↑ Drury, C., 73. The Pastoral Epistles, in Barton, J. and Muddiman, J. (2001), The Oxford Bible Commentary Template:Webarchive, p. 1220
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ Raymond E. Brown. An Introduction to the New Testament. New York: Anchor Bible, p. 662, 668.
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ William Paley Horae Paulinae (1785)
  10. ↑ Bart D. Ehrman. The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings 3rd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004. pp. 385ff
  11. ↑ Harris, Stephen L., Understanding the Bible. Palo Alto: Mayfield. 1985, "The Pastoral Epistles", pp. 340–345
  12. ↑ Template:Cite wikisource
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "Bibleverse".
  14. ↑ George W. Knight, The Pastoral Epistles: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press, 1992), 48.
  15. ↑ William D. Mounce, Pastoral Epistles, vol. 46, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 2000), cxxix.
  16. ↑ Richards, E. Randolph. Paul and First-Century Letter Writing: Secretaries, Composition and Collection. Downers Grove, IL; Leicester, England: InterVarsity Press; Apollos, 2004.
  17. ↑ Harry Y. Gamble, "Amanuensis", ed. David Noel Freedman, The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 172.
  18. ↑ Script error: No such module "Bibleverse".
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