In the Faith

Titus 3:12 When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, be diligent to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. 13 Send Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey with haste, that they may lack nothing. 14 And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful. 15 All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen. (NKJV)

The Apostle Paul is writing this letter to Titus, who was helping to organize the new churches on the island of Crete, in the Mediterranean Sea just south of Greece. Sometime after Paul’s two-year house arrest in Rome, he and Titus traveled to Crete and evangelized several towns.

Paul then left Titus there to complete the organization of churches. This letter was written about mid 62 to mid 64 A.D. from Nicopolis, Greece or Philippi, Macedonia. Paul’s scribe, or amanuensis, is believed to be Luke.

The letter was written at about the same time as Paul wrote 1Timothy. This book is one of the three pastoral epistles of Paul. 1 and 2 Timothy are the other two.

Titus was a Gentile from Macedonia. He was led to Christ by Paul. He was a travelling companion of Paul’s at times, as they went about their missionary work.

Paul wrote this letter to Titus to help him with the organization of churches in Crete. Titus was being confronted by Judaizers, Jewish Christians who wanted to enforce some of the Jewish religious traditions, such as circumcision.

Previously Paul wrote to Timothy who was helping the established churches in Ephesus. Both Titus and Timothy are having to deal with false teachers in the churches.

In Timothy’s case the false teaching is primarily Gnostic in nature. In Titus’ case the false teaching is primarily Judaism in nature.

The island of Crete has a large Jewish population, and their teaching is creeping into the churches as Jews convert to Christianity. Paul and Titus had evangelized the people, and then Paul had to depart for other duties leaving Titus to appoint and train overseers, pastors. In this Pastoral Epistle Paul is giving Titus instruction on such training.

In this passage, Paul concludes this letter to Titus. He closes his letter by giving Titus three instructions to follow.

Paul begins by instructing Titus “When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, be diligent to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there”. (v. 12). Paul is planning to relieve Titus from his duties in Crete and is instructing Titus to meet with him in Nicopolis.

This is a temporary relief for Titus. Tradition has it that he became the bishop of Crete.

It is unclear from this verse if Paul is currently in Nicopolis or if he will be going to Nicopolis. Thus, the reason that we are unsure if this letter is being written from Philippi or Nicopolis. 

Since this letter was written about the same time as 1 Timothy it may have been written in Philippi, Macedonia, where 1 Timothy likely was written. However, some translations of the KJV add a note at the end of Titus that Paul is writing from Nicopolis.

Nevertheless, Paul writes that he will be sending Artemas or Tychicus to relieve Titus so that he can go to Nicopolis. We know from Paul’s next letter (2 Timothy 4:12) that he sent Tychicus to Timothy, so it is likely Artemas whom Paul sent to Titus.

Artemas and Tychicus were travelling companions of Paul and were helpers in his ministry. Tradition has it that Artemas later became the bishop of Lystra.

Paul’s second instruction is to “Send Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey with haste, that they may lack nothing.” (v. 13). It is unclear whether Paul is sending Zenas and Apollos to Titus or if they are already with Titus. It may be that they are delivering this letter to Titus.

Whatever the case, Paul is instructing Titus to send them on their way to another destination. He is also instructing Titus to provide them with financial resources for the trip. The Greek word translated “send” often had the meaning of supplying one with money for material needs for a trip.

Zenas is described as a “lawyer”, likely a Roman lawyer who would be familiar with the laws of a city or country under Roman rule. There is no other mention of this Zenas in the New Testament.

Apollos is a Jew from Alexandria who was mentioned several times in the New Testament for his contributions to advancing the Gospel. He was previously described as an eloquent speaker.

Apollos is not mentioned again, according to the Chronology of the New Testament writings. Tradition has it that Apollos became the bishop of Caesarea.

The third instruction Paul gives to Titus is “And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful” (v. 14). He reminds Titus to teach the Christians there to continue with their “good works”.

Doing good works to advance the Gospel is the second of two themes in this letter. The first theme is to combat false teaching.

These good works “meet urgent needs” in the church. This allows the church to be fruitful, to grow the Gospel.

Doing good works is a responsibility of every Christian. Doing good works is not the path to salvation, but the result of salvation.

The path to salvation is our faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We are saved BY faith FOR good works.  

Finally, Paul closes his letter with his customary closing. He writes “All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen” (v. 15). He sends greetings of God’s grace from himself, and his fellow workers who are with him at the time, to those Christians in Crete who love them “in the faith”.

This is the last we hear from Paul as a free man. His next writing, the second letter to Timothy, is written from a Roman prison cell. Tradition has it that he was held in Mamertime Prison in Rome, until his death.

Rome burned on July 18, 64 AD. Politically, Nero blamed Christians for this event,

Paul was arrested sometime after Nero’s persecution of Christians began after the burning of Rome. He could have been arrested in Troas, perhaps in 65 AD.

Paul was held in prison for about two years, during which time he wrote 2 Timothy and, I believe, Hebrews in collaboration with Luke. It is thought that Paul was beheaded towards the end of the reign of Nero, who committed suicide on June 8, 68 AD.

But, as of this writing, Paul is a free man. It is hoped that he completed his vacation, a working vacation for sure, in the resort city of Nicopolis.

A well-deserved vacation it was, before persecution arrived at his doorstep again. Paul was persecuted for his faith throughout the last 35 years, or so, of his life. But through it all, Paul remained “in the faith”.

 

 

Art Toombs Ministries 

Online Bible Commentary