The Great House of God ?
A Study in Titus - 2
Titus 1:5-16
July 15, 2007
John Ryan

Titus 1:5 This is why I left you in Crete, ...
Paul poured the life of Christ into Titus through his life. So much so that he calls him "my true child". What must it have been like to leave Titus behind alone on this island to finish putting into "order" theses new fragile bodies of Christ? This is not just a cold instruction manual for church.

This is the living Words of God given to people who were living real lives in the middle of a tough and dangerous world that for the most part was against them. On this backdrop, we read God's instructions for the leadership of the church.

Titus 1:5 ... appoint elders in every town as I directed you -
Elder (presbuteros) and overseer (episcipos) are used interchangeably in several places in the New Testament (I Peter 5:1-3; Acts 20:17, 28-31; Titus 1:5-6). Those where set apart to lead and teach the church were called elders or overseers. One describes a position (elder) the other a function (overseer). One is inherently Jewish (elder) and the other is from the Greek culture (overseer).

The structure taught in the scripture usually involved three things:
1) shared leadership - "equal say, different gifts." No where in the New Testament is there a place where one pastor was appointed with an under board. (Elders (plural) are used here in Titus 1:5 and I Tim 5:17; Acts 14:23, 15:2,6, 20:17; I Cor. 16:15-16; I Thess. 5:12-13; James 5:14; Heb. 13:7, 17, 24)
2) pastoral leadership - ministers of God's grace actively involved in shepherding and leading the people. The word pastor (poimen) is only used to describe a major function of the role - to shepherd. This team is not a board that just makes decisions. It is on the front lines serving alongside others.
3) male leadership - God's Word ordained and demands male leadership only in the elder role. This was not a cultural deal. Jesus who blew away all cultural norms and bowed to no one's culture - only appointed men as apostles. He could have changed male headship at this point and He did not. In God's teaching on marriage in Ephesians 5:25-32, the headship-submission roles are not about culture, they like our submission and Christ's headship, are the essence of marriage. Women have leadership roles as deacons (I Tim. 3: 11, Rom. 16:1) in the scripture and we fulfill that here as well.
4) servant leadership - ownership is Gods alone and this demands a life laid out for His body. Servant leaders lead by example as Jesus did and this is an obvious qualification through scripture set by Jesus Himself.
5) qualified leadership - men whose spiritual maturity is a way of life and not a series of acts to meet a goal. This is where God heads next giving specific instruction as to what qualifies an elder of the church of Jesus Christ.

Titus 1:6 ... if anyone is above reproach, ...
"above reproach" - lit. unaccused - This does not mean one who is free from sin or faults or none could lead. In ancient Greek, this word spoke of maturity and authority. Here it means one who has no glaring immaturity that could diminish his authority. What areas of maturity is God concerned with? They are listed here and in I Timothy 3:8. The lists are very similar and focus on mainly inner character and discipline and on two skills teaching and leading.

Titus 1:6 ... the husband of one wife, ...
Much debate here - but one thing that is not up for debate - marriage and sexual life must be above reproach. It is first in both lists. "One woman man" is the best interpretation most scholars believe. This is not about divorce or having to be married - those phrases are different in the Greek. This is about a faithful relationship between man and wife.

Titus 1:6 ... and his children are believers ...
God saves and no where in the Word does God demand that we are responsible for another's salvation. Again a tough translation, but here this phrase can mean faithful not just believer. Timothy emphasizes the discipline of the children. The contrast here is not about saved and unsaved but obedient and respectful vs. rebellious and uncontrolled.

Titus 1:7 ... an overseer, as God's steward, ...
"overseer" - This title infers the skill of leading. This is a must.
"God's steward" - A steward manages another's possessions at the discretion of the owner. The elder must be able to manage God' family through the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Titus 1:7-8 ... He must not be ...
"arrogant" - the opposite of gentle as listed in I Tim 3:3. His way is right and His way is the only option. Gentle - is power under control.

"quick-tempered" - God is slow to anger, His leaders must be also. He cannot be defined as a man others are intimidated by His temper.

"a drunkard" - drinking is not the issue - drunkenness is.

"violent" - Anger is not a sin but how we treat others in our anger is.

"greedy for gain" - The desire to always be scheming to make money is the issue here. Interesting - false teachers have this as a common trait.

"hospitable" - Almost every reference to hospitality in the scripture minus I Pet. 4:9 is focused on the stranger. Leaders must love outsiders.

"a lover of good" - the unwearying activity of love in action

"self-controlled" - Pursues Godly discipline of body, mind, and soul
"upright" - A life that is just and can pour out God's justice with mercy
"holy" - A man who realizes He has been made holy with God by Christ and has been called to pursue a holy life in Christ (in not of the world)
"disciplined" - Discretion and sound mind in the middle of chaos
"He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught" - He MUST anchor his life in the Word so as to provide and protect the body.

Titus 1:10-13 10For there are many ...
The problem in Crete is the same problem attacking the church today - the enemy always has many who are willing to focus on everything but the fullness of the Gospel (Christ crucified, resurrected and ascended to God for our sin). False teaching that is heresy, distorts the truth, or focuses followers on anything other than the gospel is dangerous.

Titus 1:13-14 14Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound ...
The elders of the church must confront this in the local body otherwise people will turn away from the truth and focus on myths and commands of people. Without Godly leadership, the church will move away from God's truths toward everything else but God's truths. Ultimately the church becomes eternally impotent.

Titus 1:15-16 15 To the pure, all things are pure,
Who's behind these false teachings? Some are God's children just ignorant of the truth who must be taught "that they may be sound in the faith." However, there are also sheep in wolves clothing (Acts 20:29) who will be shown by their works as not children of God.

What are the key roles of the elder?
1) Shepherd, - lead protectors and providers for God's body
2) Oversee (lead), - lead guides and who servant lead God's body
3) Steward - lead managers of the resources of God's body
4) Teach - lead teachers who seek to reproduce disciple makers, while protecting and providing for the body

The high calling to lead as an elder
One obvious thing after reading through this passage is that this is a high calling. If God paid the ultimate price for His church (He gave up His Son to sin and death), it makes sense that He asks much of those who will guide and servant lead His body. Elders will not be perfect men, but they must be men who can lead out of the maturity God is building in their lives through the Spirit. Your part - be fellow disciples on mission, pray for, encourage, and follow their leadership as God directs.

(Scriptures related to elders -Acts 11:19-22, 29-30, 14:23, 15:1-2, 20:18-31, 21:18-25; I Thess. 5:12-13; Tim. 3:1-8; I Peter 5:1-5; James 5:14; Hebrews 13:17)