Paul's letter is directed to Titus but also looks beyond him to the churches he supervised. There are at least three major themes: Christian elders, in contrast to the false teachers (chapter 1), Christian homes, our duties to each other being enforced by confidence in the first and second comings of Christ (chapter 2), and Christian relationships in public life, which are the direct fruits of salvation (chapter 3). These chapters also relate to the main contexts of Christian living in the church, the home and the world.

Cf. e.g., Jos 1:2; 24:29; Je 7:25; Is 44:1.

Greek by birth (Gal 2:3), and one of Paul's converts. Likely to have accompanied Paul on his missionary journeys, he came into prominence in relation to the Corinthian church, where he was sent on his first diplomatic mission. His second was also to Corinth and related to the collection which Paul was organizing among the Greek churches for the benefit of the poorer churches in Judea. Titus is later summoned by Paul to join him at Nicopolis for the winter, near the Adriatic coast (3:11). It may have been from here, or later from Rome, that Titus went (on a mission?) further north along the Adriatic to the coastal area of Dalmatia (2 Tim 4:10). Eusebius wrote (c. AD 325) that Titus returned to Crete to become its first bishop, and that he died there in old age (Ecclesiastical History 3.4.6.).

Usually refers to youngsters who are still in their minority and therefore under their parents' authority but cf. Ac 2:39 and Mk 2:5.

'Dissolute', 'incorrigible'.

Elder (presbyteros) and bishop (episkopos) are not two distinct church offices, but the same people with distinct titles; 'presbyter-bishops'. The emergence of three orders of ordained ministry (bishops, presbyters and deacons) belongs to the beginning of the second century. It is not found in the NT, although Titus may be seen as an embryonic 'bishop' in that he had jurisdiction over a number of churches in Crete, and chief responsibility for the selection and appointment of pastors.

'Without blame', 'unaccused', 'unimpeachable'; not unblemished (amōmos referring to the final perfection, e.g., Eph 1:4).

By the poet Epimenides (a sixth century BC native of Knossos, Crete) who was held in high esteem by the Cretans as a prophet and miracle-worker. In Greek literature, to "Cretanize" meant to lie or cheat; krētismos meant 'falsehood'. Epimenides joked that the absence of wild beasts on the island was supplied by its human inhabitants. Their avarice was proverbial, so that Polybius could say, 'Greed and avarice are so native to the soil in Crete, that they are the only people in the world among whom no stigma attaches to any sort of gain whatever'. Paul may have had the Cretans 'on the horns of a dilemma' for if they endorsed their prophet's statement, they condemned themselves; if they repudiated it, they made him the liar he said they were!.

'To be healthy'. Hygiēs (like 'hygiene') also means 'healthy' or 'fit'. Cf. healing of those made whole in Mk 5:34; Jn 5:9; Ac 4:10.

Only occurrence in NT; 'befitting a holy person or thing' or 'like a priest(ess).

The regular term for petty larcenies, filching, etc..

Used of arranging jewels in order to display their beauty.

A coming into view of what has been previously concealed. Used in classical Greek of the dawn or daybreak, when the sun leaps over the horizon into view; of an enemy emerging out of an ambush; and of the supposed saving intervention of a god(s) in human affairs; cf. Ac 27:20: the stars 'made no epiphany'. Apart from this one literal use or epiphaneia, the word occurs in the NT four times of Christ's first coming and six times of his second.

God and Saviour was a stereotypical formula common in the first-century, normally referring to a single deity, and sometimes to the Roman Emperor.

Cf. LXX Ex 19:6; Dt 7:6; 14:2; 26:18 and 1 Pet 2:9.

Perhaps Paul is glancing at the notoriously turbulent character of the Cretans, of whom Polybius tells us were constantly involved in 'insurrections, murders and internecine wars'. Crete had been subjugated by Rome in 67 BC, and since then had been continuously restive under the Roman colonial yoke, cf. 1:10 and 16.

Showing clemency, gentleness, meekness and being conciliatory. This ethic was in contradistinction to the cultural typecast of a true Roman, for what really mattered to him was ambition, desire to be the best, thirst after glory and honour.

Taken by the early church fathers to refer to baptism by water, cf. 1 Cor 6:11; Eph 5:26.

Used by Jesus of the final renewal of all things (Mt 19:28) and by the Stoics for the periodical restoration of the world, in which they believed.

Lit. 'that they may take care good works to be forward in they who have believed'. This verb can have the technical sense 'to practice a profession', though here it has a more general meaning.

Lit. 'stand aloof from'.

'Questions' or 'speculations'.

The word heretic had not yet assumed the meaning we have given it. Heiresis meant a sect, party, school of thought, cf. Ac 5:17; 15:5; 24:14; 28:22 to see referents.

The five references in the NT tell us that he came from proconsular Asia, perhaps from Ephesus its capital, like Trophimus with who he is bracketed. He was one of those chosen to take the collection to Jerusalem. Paul sent him to go to Colosse, perhaps bearing the letter, to tell the churches about him. He is now proposing to send Tychicus to Crete to relieve Titus and will later send him from Rome to Ephesus, apparently to free Timothy to visit him as soon as possible.

'City of Victory'. Three towns with this name have been identified but this one is most likely to be the capital of Epirus on the west Adriatic coast of Greece.

Professional expert in Roman law.

Perhaps the learned and eloquent Alexandrian (Ac 18:24f and refs in 1 Cor).