The Christian Citizen
v1 Remind the people about these things. The people should let the government and the rulers have authority over them. The people should obey. And they should be ready to do what is good. v2 They should not say evil things about anyone. They should not fight with anyone. Instead, they should be gentle and humble with everyone.
Commentary
Verse 1
The people who lived in Crete often argued. They also caused trouble. They were angry because the Romans ruled them. The Christians had to live in a society that the Romans had organised. Paul had already taught the people how to live as Christian citizens. But Titus had to remind them again. Christians have to obey the government that rules their country. (However, Christians should never do something that is against God’s laws.) In Romans 13:1-7, Paul said that all authority comes from God. God wants rulers to protect citizens. Rulers of a country should make good laws. Then that country will be a safe and a peaceful place. Rulers should punish the people who do not obey the laws. Paul did not want the Christians to involve themselves in political arguments. Instead, the Christians should be prepared to do good things. In that way, they would serve the people in their society. It would also help their government.
Verse 2
Many of the people who lived in Crete had bad characters (1:12). So the Christians had to behave in a better way. They had to be careful about what they said. They had to be careful about what they did. People often insulted or said bad things about other people. But Christians should not insult people back (1 Peter 2:23). Christians should be kind to people because God is kind. Christians can have opinions. They do not have to agree with everyone. But they should not be angry and they should not have fights. A humble person is patient. He does not insist on his own rights. He cares about all kinds of people. ‘Everyone’ included rulers, people who had bad characters and slaves. In those days, people considered that slaves were property rather than people.
Verses 3-8
v3 There was a time when we too were foolish. We did not obey. We did not know the truth. We were like slaves to many kinds of evil desires and feelings. We spent our lives hurting other people. We were jealous of them. People hated us, and we hated each other. v4 Then God our Saviour appeared to us. He is kind and he loves people. v5 He saved us. He did not save us because we had done good things. But he saved us because he cared about us. And he was kind to us. He saved us when he washed away our sins. We were born again. The Holy Spirit gave us new spiritual life.
v6 God generously poured out his Holy Spirit on us by Jesus Christ our Saviour. v7 God says that we are not guilty. He says that we are righteous. He did this because of his grace. We know now that certainly we will receive the life that never ends. v8 These things that I have told you are all true. I want you to emphasize them to the people who have trusted God. Then they will be careful always to do the right thing. These things are good and they will help everyone.
Verse 3
Paul had described how Christians should behave. In these verses, he described what they were like before. He said ‘we’. So he included himself, Titus, the Christians in Crete and other people who believed. Paul reminded them why Christians should never be proud. They had all behaved badly before they became Christians. Therefore, they should not have a severe attitude to people who were not Christians. The people who lived in Crete had bad characters. But Titus should not give up. Even wicked people could become Christians because of God’s grace. In Ephesians 5:8, Paul had written ‘once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord’.
Before they heard the good news, they were foolish. They did not understand God and his commands. So they did not obey God. Christ is the way to God (John 14:6). But they had followed the wrong way. They could not control themselves. Instead, their strong desires and feelings controlled them. Their lives were full of cruel words and actions. They were jealous of what other people were like. They were jealous of what other people owned. When people hate each other, it causes problems for society.
The work of God’s grace
Verse 4
‘God our Savior’ is Jesus Christ. In those days, Roman rulers declared that they were ‘god’ and ‘savior’. But Paul showed that this was false. God is always generous. He is kind and he loves everyone. God’s behavior is different from the behavior in verse 3. God did not want people to continue to live in that bad way.
Verse 5
Christians should be grateful that Jesus has rescued them from their sin. People cannot save themselves. And God does not save them because they have made themselves good enough. Nobody is good enough for God. God loves people so much that he sent Jesus to this world (John 3:16). God is kind to people because he loves them. That is why God saves people. Paul emphasized God’s kindness (his ‘grace’) in other letters (Ephesians 2:4-9; Galatians 2:16).
When a person washes in water, his body becomes clean. When God forgives a person God ‘washes away’ the person’s sins. Baptism shows what happens in a person’s spirit (Romans 6:3-7). His old life dies and the Holy Spirit gives him new life. The person leaves his old life behind and he begins a new Christian life. Life begins again like a new birth. The Holy Spirit gives people power to please God.
Verse 6
God has ‘poured out’ his Holy Spirit on all true Christians. This started in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). God’s gifts are always generous. God has a rich supply of gifts for us from the Holy Spirit. A person must receive Jesus Christ as his or her Savior first. Then he or she receives the Holy Spirit.
Verse 7
It was God’s purpose that by his grace he should save us. When Jesus Christ died, God forgave our sins. Then he made us righteous (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). He did this because he loves us. He did this because he is kind to us. We are now God’s children. Therefore, in this present world we have the right to enjoy a new quality of life. And when our bodies die, our spirit will live with Christ for ever.
Verse 8
‘These things’ refer to what Paul taught in verses 4-7. The false teachers said that they knew God. But their actions showed that they did not really know him. They did not behave in a way that pleased God (1:16). All Christians should understand what God has done for them. God loves them and he has been very kind to them. When Christians really know God, then they will behave in the right way. They will always try to please God. They will have to avoid the things that are wrong. That requires effort. They will have to think about what they do. As a result, their actions will benefit other people. They will help even the people who are not Christians. This is how Christians can affect their society.
What to Avoid<
v9 Avoid foolish discussions. Avoid long lists about the history of people’s families. Avoid arguments. Avoid quarrels about the law. These things are worth nothing. They do not help anyone. v10 If someone keeps causing arguments, warn him once. Then warn him a second time. After that, avoid him. v11 You know that a man like that is evil and sinful. His own sin shows that he is guilty.
Commentary
Verse 9
We can contrast this with what Paul wrote in verse 8. The Jews had stupid arguments and disagreements about what the Jewish laws meant. The Jews made up many extra laws too. They made up false histories about people in the Old Testament. They became angry about things were no use at all. Christians and Jews believe the ‘Old Testament’. But the Jews had many discussions that helped no one. So Christians had to avoid those discussions.
Verses 10-11
When a person keeps arguing, he can cause trouble. He is proud and he will not listen to other people. He has decided that he alone is right. His attitude is sinful. A person who is like that can confuse new Christians. And he can divide a group of Christians. His wicked actions show that he is guilty. Paul advised Titus about how to deal with a man like that. Titus had to warn him once or twice. To ‘warn’ means to show the man where he was wrong. That gave the man a chance to change. He might realize that he was wrong. If he was humble, Titus could teach him the truth about God. But if the man continued to cause trouble, he would become a false teacher. Titus and the Christians had to avoid him.
Last Instructions
v12 I am going to send Artemas or Tychicus to you. When he arrives, try to come to me in the city called Nicopolis. I have decided to stay here during the winter. v13 Do everything that you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey.
They should have everything that they need. Make sure that they do. v14 Our people should learn to spend their time doing good work. Then they will be able to provide for other people. And they will have useful lives.
v15 All the people who are with me send their greetings. Greet all the Christians who love us.
May God’s grace be with all of you.
Commentary
Verse 12
Paul had decided to spend the winter in a city called Nicopolis. People did not travel far in the winter because of the bad weather. Paul wanted Titus to try to go to Nicopolis too. However, Paul did not want to leave the church in Crete without a leader. Therefore, Paul was sending Artemas or Tychicus to be the leader instead of Titus. We know nothing about Artemas. Tychicus often travelled with Paul (Acts 20:4). Tychicus took a letter from Paul to Colossae city (Colossians 4:7). Tychicus also took a letter from Paul to Ephesus city (Ephesians 6:21-22; 2 Timothy 4:12).
Verse 13
Zenas may have been a Roman lawyer. Or he may have been a Jew who was an expert in the law of Moses. He had become a Christian. Apollos was a well-known Christian who had worked in Ephesus (Acts 18:24) and Corinth (1 Corinthians 3:6). These two men were probably in Crete. They may even have brought Paul’s letter to Titus. Paul does not say where the two men were going. But Paul wanted them to have what they needed. In those days, Christian workers often traveled a long way. Many people had helped Paul while he was traveling (Acts 15:3; Romans 15:24; 1 Corinthians 16:5-6).
Verse 14
‘Our people’ refers to Christians. Paul wanted all the Christians, not just Titus, to be generous. The Christians in Crete had to work hard and not be lazy (1:12). They would be able to provide for their own families. They would also be able to provide for other people. God is pleased when Christians do this (3 John 5-6). Selfish people produce nothing good. But generous people can help many other people.
Verse 15
Paul ended his letters with a greeting. It helped to unite Christians. Many people worked with Paul and they prayed for the churches. That must have encouraged the people in the churches. This letter had just a short greeting. Paul did not say who was with him.
Paul wanted all the Christians in Crete to receive God’s grace and kindness.
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