Paul began his instructions with these directions to emphasize the priority of setting qualified leaders over the affairs of the local churches (cf. Acts 6:3).
1:5 Titus, like Timothy, served as the agent of an apostle with apostolic authority. He was in a position of authority over the other local Christians.
"Timothy was not the pastor of the church at Ephesus in the modern sense of that term; nor was Titus the bishop of the Cretan churches, as is sometimes thought. Both men are addressed as the personal representatives of the apostle Paul and had been left at their stations to carry out the work assigned to them by the apostle."16
The public reading of this epistle would have helped the Christians recognize Titus' authority and submit to Paul's instructions.
The churches in Crete needed organization.17Paul prescribed an organizational structure but left it flexible. He did not dictate the details but left these open for local leaders to determine. Consequently the quality of the church's leaders was very important.
"It is . . . impossible to determine how many elders would have been selected in every town(meaning in the house church of each town'); but the general rule would probably have been a plurality of leaders."18
We do not know how many churches there were on Crete, but Homer, who lived in the ninth century B.C., referred to the island as "Crete of the hundred cities."19It was heavily populated.
1:6-9 Paul listed 17 qualifications for an elder here. First Timothy 3 contains 15, but they are very similar and in some cases identical, though some here are new.
"Since the office of bishop is one of authority and power, the vices named are those to which persons in such positions are tempted."20
Social and domestic qualifications
1. "Above reproach"(v. 6), blameless, is the translation of the Greek word used in 1 Timothy 3:10 (anegkletos) to describe deacons, there translated "beyond reproach."Paul used a synonym as the first qualification of elders in 1 Timothy 3:2 (anepilempton) translated there "above reproach."The words are virtually the same and mean that the elder must have no obvious flaw in his character or conduct that would bring justifiable criticism on himself or the church. Paul gave the reason for this qualification in verse 7a.
". . . the purpose of this code is identical to that of 1 Timothy 3 in that it is meant to test the candidate's blamelessness.' The broad standard appears twice at the head of the list (vv. 6, 7; compare 1 Tim 3:2). Then the remainder of the verses place blamelessness' into a concrete framework, treating the domestic, personal and ecclesiastical aspects of the candidate's life."21
2. "Husband of one wife"(Gr. mias gunaikos aner; v. 6; 1 Tim. 3:2) means he must presently be a moral husband at least.22
3. "Having children who believe"(Gr. tekna echon pista, v. 6; 1 Tim. 3:4) adds a factor not present in 1 Timothy. The elder must have his children under control.23The context seems to limit the children to those who are still living at home and are not yet adults, assuming he had children.24
"One view understands Paul to be limiting membership in the office to those whose family members all believe; pistacan certainly bear this meaning. Another view is that the term means, more generally, faithful' or trustworthy' (1:9; 3:8; 1 Tim. 3:11; compare 1 Tim 1:15; 3:1), which quality is then delineated in the phrase that follows. While the first view is possible, it seems to place more stringent requirements on the elder than does 1 Timothy 3:4. Moreover, in view of this parallel, Paul probably means that the elder's children are to be faithful in obeying the head of the house. In fact, the rest of the verse contrasts faithful' with the charge of being wild and disobedient, which suggests a more general kind of faithfulness."25
This second view also seems correct since the decision to believe in Christ is the child's, and even the best Christian parent cannot guarantee it.
"Too often, new Christians feel a call to the ministry and want to be ordained before they have had a chance to establish their families in the faith. If the children are small, the problem is not too great; but mature children go through a tremendous shock when all of a sudden their household becomes religious'! A wise father first wins his own family to Christ and gives them a chance to grow before he pulls up stakes and moves to Bible school. We would have fewer casualties in the ministry if this policy were followed more often."26
Personal qualifications
Paul next listed five vices (v. 7) and then ("but,"Gr. alla) seven virtues (vv. 8-9).
4. "Not self-willed"(me authade; v. 7), self-pleasing, means he is not arrogant or overbearing. He does not insist on having his own way. Such a person will usually take other people's criticisms and suggestions.
"God's household manager must be a servant, not stubbornly self-willed, since it is God's household, not his own (cf. Mark 10:41-45; 1 Cor. 3:5-9; 4:1-2)."27
5. "Not quick-tempered"(Gr. me orgilon; v. 7), soon angry, is also a negative trait described elsewhere as being uncontentious (1 Tim. 3:3).
6. "Not addicted to wine"(Gr. me paroinon; v. 7) also appears in 1 Timothy 3:3.
7. "Not pugnacious"(Gr. me plekten; v. 7) or violent, a striker, is also in 1 Timothy 3:3.
8. "Not fond of sordid gain"(Gr. me aischrokerde; v. 7) restates "free from the love of money"(1 Tim. 3:3) with emphasis on "making profit out of Christian service, rather than dishonest gain . . ."28
"Complete honesty in financial matters and an attitude of detachment toward wealth (compare 1 Tim 6:7-8, 17-19) that leads to generosity are the signs of a leader who will be able to model faithfulness in these things before the congregation."29
9. "Hospitable"(Gr. philoxenon; v. 8) also occurs in 1 Timothy 3:2.
10. "Loving what is good"(Gr. philagathon; v. 8) is obvious in meaning. Paul did not mention it in 1 Timothy.
11. "Sensible"(Gr. sophrona; v. 8) means sober, soberminded, self-controlled. The NASB translators rendered the same Greek word "prudent"in 1 Timothy 3:2.
12. "Just"(Gr. dikaion; v. 8) means upright, fair, equitable.
13. "Devout"(Gr. hosion; v. 8) means holy, set apart to God.
14. "Self-controlled"(Gr. egkrate; v. 8) means disciplined and temperate.
Doctrinal qualifications
15. "Holding fast the faithful word"(v. 9; 1 Tim. 3:2) means he remains committed to God's truth. He conserves it and preserves it from dilution, deletion, and distortion.
16. "Able . . . to exhort in sound doctrine"(v. 9; 1 Tim. 3:2) means he can encourage others with the Scriptures.
17. "Able . . . to refute those who contradict"(v. 9; 1 Tim. 3:2) means he can point out the error of false teaching and explain why it is wrong.
"In admitting a man to the ministry [of an elder] the primary consideration must ever be the integrity of his character rather than his spectacular gifts."30
Modern elder boards would do well to study these qualifications and those of deacons (1 Tim. 3:8-13) to construct a list on which all members of the board agree. I suggest that they should also agree on an "official"interpretation of the qualifications. This will preclude others in the church from causing division by pitting one elder's personal interpretation against that of another elder.
In contrast to 1 Timothy 3, Titus 1 contains no mention of deacons. This may reflect a less advanced stage of church organization in Crete than what existed in Ephesus since deacons were the assistants of the elders.31Another possibility is that the churches in Crete were smaller and so did not need formally recognized deacons.
