Verse 1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,
The “them” in the above verse are the believers in the church at Crete.
The Greek word translated as “subject” is “hupotasse” and it means to submit.
The Greek word translated as “principalities” is “arche” and it means beginning or origin, the first person or thing in a series, the leader, the active cause, and angels and demons.
The Greek word translated as “powers” is “exousia” and it means power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases, physical and mental power, the power of authority and of right, the power of him whose will and commands must be submitted to by others and obeyed, and authority over mankind.
The Greek word translated as “magistrates” is “peitharcheo” and it means to obey a ruler or superior.
So, what is Paul telling Titus to remind the believers to do? Many Bible teachers believe this is a commandment to obey civil government and the authorities in that government. Since Rome ruled the world at that time, Titus would have to remind the believers to be subject to the leader and the system that had earthly authority over the citizens. This would mean obeying Caesar no matter what. However, since governments are of men and not of God and are wicked and evil, how can the believers obey them all the time if what the governing powers are demanding from them is contrary to Biblical principles and to the LORD’s commandments? Remember what the Apostle Peter told the Jewish high priest, the council, the senate and the captain of the guard (the government of Israel) in Acts chapter 5 when ordered not to teach about the LORD Jesus Christ or to use His name. “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.” So this writer does not believe that the verse above is teaching obedience to human government, but that it is teaching obedience to the leaders of the Church and to the LORD Jesus Christ. You decide.
Verse 2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.
To speak evil of no man is a very difficult thing to do as so many evil men and women are walking the Earth and engaging in actions and words that affect others, particularly believers in Jesus. Just to discuss the wicked people in the news and in the various governments of the world is difficult to do without speaking evil of them. Often just speaking the truth will result in making negative comments about a particular person or group of people. Perhaps the problem is one of the heart. Perhaps to point out that someone is behaving in an evil or ungodly manner but doing so without anger or malice is acceptable before God. You decide. But clearly the believer is not to engage in discussing people and speaking evil of them just to gossip or to embarrass them.
Application: Jesus only spoke evil of the Jewish religious system and of those people in the system that had perverted His temple and His laws and commandments and who had put the people in bondage. He never spoke evil of prostitutes, tax collectors, and sinners in general. He just had compassion for them. The believer is to be like Christ. Think about your words before you speak.
Verse 3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
All believers have a past or history before being converted. All believers have sinned. Paul wants Titus to remember from where he and other believers have come from and to treat others as they would have liked to have been treated when living without Jesus.
Verses 4-6 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
No one earns salvation from sin, death and Hell. No one can do enough good things in their lifetime to gain Heaven. It is only through believing in the LORD Jesus Christ and in what He did on the cross for sinners because of His mercy towards mankind that a person can be saved. Jesus was the final sacrifice for sin, a Lamb without blemish (sinless) who had fulfilled all prophecy and who had fulfilled all the requirements of the law.
Verses 7-8 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
Believers are made righteous and holy (justified) by God’s love (grace) so that they can receive the right of sonship (heirs) in the family of God and receive eternal life.
Paul instructs Titus to constantly state as a fact publicly that believers are to give attention to doing good works.
Application: This writer’s former pastor, David Meyer, often told the true story of the businessman and the blind girl. A group of businessmen were running through an airport to catch a plane when they knocked over an apple stand where a young blind girl was sitting and selling apples. The table was knocked over and the apples rolled everywhere. The businessmen kept running to catch the plane, but one of them stopped, and yelling to his companions to go on without him and to call his wife and tell her that he would catch the next plane out, he returned to assist the blind girl. She was crawling on the floor trying to feel for the apples and trying to find her table. Other people were just walking or rushing by without any offers of help. The businessman set the table back up and collected all the apples, putting the bruised and damaged ones in a separate basket, and then he helped the girl find her chair and be seated. He only had forty dollars in his wallet and he gave the blind girl both twenty dollar bills and, apologizing, told her to use the money to pay for any upset or damage he and his companions had caused. With tears rolling down her face, she asked one question. “Sir, are you Jesus?” She had been searching for the Savior and in her blind state, she did not know who she was talking to. This encounter changed both of their lives, the blind girl accepting Jesus into her life and the businessman recommitting his life to the LORD. He stated that he could never forget the girl’s words, and that from that moment on, life had a new meaning for him. Doing good works provides a witness of the love of God. Good works are “profitable unto men,” both the doer of the good works and the receiver.
Verse 9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
The Greek word translated as “questions” is “zetesis” and it means debate or matter of controversy. The believer is not to argue over Bible content or over lineage (Jew or non Jew) or over the commandments and precepts in the Mosaic law. This writer has learned by experience that it does no good.
Application: A person convinced of the meaning of a passage will not give up his/her understanding of the passage even if it is clearly shown to that person that his/her interpretation is flawed. Tell them once and then quit. Plant the seed of thought and let God nurture it if He chooses. But never get into an argument. This is not to say that believers should not try to correct error. They should, but in a loving manner and without contention.
Verses 10-11 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; 11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.
The Greek word translated as “heretick” is “hairetikos” and it means a follower of a false doctrine. Someone who is following false doctrine will engage in “foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law” with someone they perceive to be a believer in Jesus. Why? Because they are serving the Devil and want to try to weaken the believer by engaging in dialog that is pointless. Titus is instructed by Paul to reject such a person after trying to urge them to follow the truth.
Application: Christians often feel guilty if, after presenting the Gospel message or showing the error of false doctrine, they do not get a nonbeliever or a person involved with false doctrine to repent and accept Jesus into their lives. Paul clearly takes that burden away from Titus and therefore from all believers as he shows that the person in error condemns himself. Everyone has free will and can choose to listen or not listen, choose to accept truth or not accept truth, and choose the salvation of Jesus Christ or not choose the salvation of Jesus Christ. It is not the believer’s responsibility to change a person or get them to convert. It is only the responsibility of the believer to tell them about Jesus.
Verses 12 When I shall send Artemas unto thee, or Tychicus, be diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis: for I have determined there to winter.
Artemas is only mentioned once in the New Testament in the above verse and all that is known about him was that he was a friend of Paul.
Tychicus was a friend and companion of Paul and is mentioned in Acts 20:4, Ephesians 6:21, Colossians 4:7 and 2 Timothy 4:12.
Verses 13-14 Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently, that nothing be wanting unto them. 14 And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.
Zenas’ name means “Jupiter” and he was a teacher of the Jewish law.
Apollos was a Jewish man from Alexandria who became a teacher of Christianity. He is mentioned in the book of Acts, and the book of 1 Corinthians.
Verse 15 All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen. It was written to Titus, ordained the first bishop of the church of the Cretians, from Nicopolis of Macedonia. (Titus 3)
Jesus is Found in Every Book of the Bible
In Titus, Jesus is the believer’s blessed hope. Because Jesus rose from the dead, the believer is promised and has the hope of eternal life at the time of physical death. Should the believer remain alive until the last day of this Earth’s existence, the hope is in the appearing of Jesus in the sky accompanied by all the saints that have departed from this world and by all the good angelic beings to usher in eternity and the defeat of the spirits of darkness, of sin, and of physical death.