Where Jesus is in this book
Jesus in Titus
Paul leaves Titus on the island of Crete to set the churches in order and appoint elders. This short letter joins sound doctrine to a beautiful life, insisting that grace teaches us to live godly. Twice it names Jesus Christ our great God and Savior, whose appearing we await.
The book in brief
Titus is a compact pastoral letter written to guide Titus in organizing young churches on Crete. Paul instructs him to appoint qualified elders and to silence false teachers who upset households for dishonest gain (chapter 1). He then describes how different groups within the church, older and younger, men and women, and servants, should adorn the gospel with self controlled and faithful lives (chapter 2). The turning point is a rich statement of the grace of God that has appeared, bringing salvation and training believers to renounce ungodliness while awaiting the blessed hope (chapter 2:11 to 14). Paul reminds Titus that God saved us not by our works but by His mercy through the washing of regeneration and the Holy Spirit (chapter 3), and he calls the church to devote itself to good works.
A moment that points to Him
The clearest passage is Titus 2:11 to 14, the letter's beating heart. Paul writes that the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, teaching us to live sober and godly lives while we await the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify a people of His own, zealous for good works. Here past grace and future glory frame the present life, and Jesus is named God, Savior, and Redeemer in a single breath.
Where Jesus is in this book
Titus presents Christ as our great God and Savior, a striking confession of His full deity (chapter 2:13). The whole letter turns on two appearings of Christ. His first appearing brought the grace that saves and trains us, when He gave Himself to redeem and purify a people for His own possession (chapter 2:14). His second appearing is the blessed hope believers await, the revealing of His glory. Paul also says God our Savior poured out the Holy Spirit richly through Jesus Christ, so that being justified by His grace we become heirs of eternal life (chapter 3:5 to 7). Christ is therefore both the source of salvation and the pattern of the good works that flow from it. Sound doctrine and a beautiful life meet in Him.
Questions people ask
What is the book of Titus about?
Titus is a pastoral letter guiding Titus to organize the churches of Crete, appoint faithful elders, and confront false teachers. Its deeper theme is that sound doctrine produces godly living. The grace of God that appeared in the person of Christ saves us and teaches us to renounce ungodliness while we await His glorious return.
Does Titus call Jesus God?
Yes. In Titus 2:13 Paul writes of the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, applying the title of God directly to Jesus. This is one of the clearest affirmations of Christ's deity in the letters. The One whose grace saves us is Himself the great God we joyfully await.