17 December

Bible in 365 Days

Titus 1-3 / Philemon

Titus 1

Titus is not mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles. From the letter we learn that he was a convert of the apostle. Moreover, we know that he was a Greek.

This letter reached him while he was in Crete, amid peculiar circumstances; his mission was to set the church in order. Therefore the Apostle enjoined him to appoint elders. He defined the function of the elder as that of the steward of God, and showed that the function would be fulfilled by loyalty to "the faithful word which is according to the teaching." Only men of character were to be appointed to such office. The elder must be blameless as a family man, in personal character, and in his relation to truth.

There were Judaizing teachers in Crete, and the Apostle laid down an important principle for dealing with them: "To the pure all things are pure, but to them that are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure." This cut clean across the teaching of those referred to, which consisted in insistence on certain ritualistic commandments. Titus was charged to "reprove them sharply." There are forms of evil which demand the surgeon's knife. The reason for the severity is that the highest purposes of love may be realized.

Titus 2

The Apostle then proceeded to show what the behavior of aged men, aged women, and young men in the Church should be. In connection with the behavior of bond-servants Paul employed what is perhaps the most beautiful description of godly behavior when he said, that "they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things." While it is still only a theory doctrine lacks the manifestation of beauty. When, however, it is realized and manifested in human life its beauty at once appears. The value of a theory is always supremely apparent in the results it produces.

If these were the duties of the Church, the Apostle now proceeded to show what were the resources at the disposal of every Christian. In a passage of singular beauty and power he declared the fourfold value of the grace of God. That grace appeared in the First Advent, and brought salvation to all men. Salvation, then, is the fundamental fact. It brings cleansing from sin, and enlightenment. Grace then proceeds to teaching. This teaching conditions the life of man in relation to all the forces with which it comes in contact. The word "soberly" refers to the world within; "righteously," to the world around; and "godly," to the world above. The life of the Christian is set in the light of the Second Advent, when there will be an epiphany of glory. All this is then set in the light of the work of Christ. The salvation which grace brings is experimentally the redemption from iniquity which Christ accomplishes. The instruction which grace imparts is the perfection which issues from identification with Christ. The denial of ungodliness results from the possession by God which Christ ensures. The hope which grace presents is the impulse to the service which Christ creates.

Titus 3

The final section of the epistle has to do with the Church and the State, dealing with the duty of the Church, arguments impelling to the fulfilment of duty, and the method of realization. The duty of the Church is to submit to authority, to be ready for every good work, to be free from evil speech, and to be gentle and meek.

In order to fulfil these ideals, Christian people should remember their own past, and treat with pity those who are yet "foolish, disobedient, deceived." The threefold memory of what we were, of how the change has been wrought, and of what we are, will serve to create the spirit of subjection to authority, equip us for honest toil, silence all evil speech, and generate an unceasing compassion.

Titus was charged to "affirm confidently" these important things. The whole charge to Titus reveals the truth concerning every minister to whom is committed the oversight of the flock of God. For himself the Apostle charged him to shun the things unprofitable and vain, and to maintain discipline.

The epistle closes with reference to Tychicus, Apollos, Artemas, and Zenas. The very mention of these names indicates the growth of the Christian movement.

The final word concerning occupations shows clearly the duty of members of the Christian Church to contribute to the support of those devoted to the work of the ministry.

The closing benediction harmonizes with the opening salutation. It is a benediction of grace, the only difference being that whereas at the beginning it was addressed to Titus, at the close all those to whom he ministered were included. For fulfilment of the work as steward of the house of God, and for the Church's submission, grace is needed and supplied.

Philemon

The letter to Philemon is of a personal nature. In all probability Philemon was a native of Colossae, and a member of the Church there. While the letter is addressed to him, his whole household and the whole Church were included.

The Apostle began by expressing his thankfulness for Philemon. His purpose was to seek an action by Philemon in harmony with his Christian position. The real reason of the letter emerges when Paul appealed to Philemon, rather than commanded him, to certain action in the case of Onesimus, his runaway slave. Paul based his appeal on his personal love, the fact that he was such a one as "Paul the aged"; and also on the change that had been wrought in the man Onesimus. He drew two portraits of the man by the use of two words. He had been "unprofitable." He was now "profitable," or, to be more correct, he was "well profitable," that is, completely so. Therefore the appeal to Philemon was to take Onesimus back because of the change that had taken place in him, and to receive him no longer as a slave but as a brother.

The letter closed with the expression of the Apostle's hope that he would be able to visit Philemon, and the request that a lodging be prepared for him. Salutations from the little group who were with him in Rome and the benediction brought the letter to its close. The benediction had to do with grace, which is here described as "the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ." Of course, it was the grace of God, but it is here described as that of our Lord Jesus Christ, because in Him was manifested the effect of the grace of God in human life.