Tit 1 | Abbott

Titus 1

Promised; in the counsels of his own will.

Left I thee in Crete. The ship in which Paul performed his voyage to Rome, as recorded at the close of the Acts, touched repeatedly at the ports of Crete. This is the only case in which any record remains of Paul's visiting the island. At what time he put Titus in charge there, and when this Epistle was written to him, are both wholly unknown.—Elders; pastors; called bishops in v. 7.

These directions (6-9) correspond very closely with those given to Timothy on the same subject. (1 Tim. 3:2-9.)—Riot, dissoluteness of manners, or excess of any kind.

The faithful word; the word worthy of faith; that is, truths well established and sure.—Sound doctrine; sound instruction.—Gainsayers; opposers.

They of the circumcision; the Jews.

For filthy lucre's sake. In what way precisely this pharisaical sanctity was turned to the purposes of gain, is not known. There are frequent allusions, however, to the fact that this was done. (Compare Matt. 23:14, 1 Tim. 6:5, 2 Tim. 3:6, 7.)

A prophet; a pagan prophet.

All things are pure; that is, all kinds of meats and drinks. The idea is the same that the apostle has, in his other Epistles, so often advanced,—that he whose heart is pure need not be solicitous about ceremonial distinctions and prohibitions.